SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers star pass rusher Nick Bosa was back at practice Wednesday for the first time in nearly a month and is confident that he will be able to play the season opener in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams next week.
Bosa took part in his first practice since Aug. 3 as he had been sidelined the past few weeks because of tendinitis and soreness in his surgically repaired right knee. The Niners wanted to get Bosa back on the field before leaving late Wednesday night for Australia where they will play the Rams on Sept. 11.
Bosa said after making it through the practice he believes he will play in Week 1.
“If every day of football practice, you were this happy, it’d be an easy job,” he said. “You put in so much work, you’ve rehabbed for so long, and then you think you’re coming back and then you’re not and you’re back to doing workouts every day. It’s just monotonous and kind of wears on you. But then you realize why you do it and you get back and you're around the guys and you truly feel part of the brotherhood. Take it one day at a time but today was a great day.”
Tight end George Kittle participated in his third straight practice this week and also appears ready to try to play in Week 1 as he comes back from a ruptured Achilles tendon suffered in January.
Receiver Mike Evans also was back Wednesday after missing time recently with an adductor injury.
The 49ers are counting on a healthy Bosa this season to help spark a pass rush that finished last in the NFL with 20 sacks last season. Bosa went down with a torn ACL in Week 3 and started training camp on the active roster. He didn't participate in any team drills before being shut down in early August and now is trying to ramp up for the opener.
“I kind of ramped it a little too fast with the football stuff a month ago,” Bosa said. “It kind of told me to back off so I’ve just been trying to get it as strong and as confident in myself. As confident as I can where I could rip the Band-aid off and go to team stuff today.”
Bosa has had at least nine sacks in the five seasons when he didn’t get hurt in the opening month as he has been one of the most productive edge rushers ever since being drafted second overall in 2019.
Bosa has made the Pro Bowl in all five of his healthy seasons and won the AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022, when he led the league with 18 1/2 sacks.
Bosa’s 74 1/2 sacks in the regular season and playoffs are the fifth most in the NFL since he entered the league in 2019 despite missing nearly two full seasons. His 280 total pressures rank fourth most in the NFL in that span, according to Sportradar.
Kittle ruptured his Achilles tendon on Jan. 11 in a playoff win at Philadelphia and has made an impressive recovery to get back on the field in less than eight months. He came off the physically unable to perform list on Aug. 23 and is trying to get ready for the opener.
Kittle is a two-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler who is a key part of San Francisco’s offense as a passing threat and a blocker in the run game. He had 57 catches for 628 yards receiving and seven touchdowns last season.
Most of the key players on the 53-man roster were back at practice on Wednesday with the only projected starter out being cornerback Renardo Green, who was working on the side with a hamstring injury.
Among the other key players either out or working on the side during the open period of practice were receiver/returner Jacob Cowing, cornerback Jack Jones, linebacker Luke Gifford, and defensive linemen Gracen Halton, Romello Height and James Thompson Jr.
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Josh Dubow, The Associated Press
