49ers Star Nick Bosa Out for Weeks With Calf Strain
The team faces significant defensive line challenges as Bosa becomes the latest key player sidelined by injury.
The San Francisco 49ers' defensive line has been further depleted with the news that star edge rusher Nick Bosa suffered a calf strain in practice Thursday and will miss several weeks. Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Friday that Bosa will be sidelined starting Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Bosa sustained the injury during individual warmups while performing high-knees. Shanahan indicated Bosa is expected to be out for "around a few weeks," though the team has opted to keep him on the active roster. The loss comes at a critical juncture for the 49ers, who have already experienced significant attrition on their defensive front this season.
Several other defensive linemen are currently on the injured reserve list, including C.J. West (bone chips/knee), Sam Okuayinonu (broken foot), Alfred Collins (torn patellar tendon), and James Thompson Jr. (ankle sprain). Rookie edge rusher Romello Height also suffered a broken hand in the team's recent win over the Miami Dolphins and is ruled out.
The team has already made roster moves to address the depth issues, signing defensive tackle Naquan Jones from the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad. San Francisco is also reportedly in contact with free agent defensive end Leonard Floyd and considering elevating Sebastian Valdez from their practice squad.
This string of injuries echoes the team's struggles from the previous season, when Bosa tore his ACL in Week 3, significantly impacting the pass rush. The 49ers' defense managed only 20 sacks in the entire last year, ranking last in the NFL. Despite these concerns, the team did not significantly bolster the defensive line in the offseason, relying instead on the return of Bosa and Mykel Williams from knee surgeries.
While Bosa had yet to record a sack in the first two games of the season, he had accumulated four pressures, second only to Osa Odighizuwa on the team. The 49ers' overall pressure rate of 31.6% ranks fifth among all teams. The team's defensive depth will be further tested as Mykel Williams remains ineligible to come off the Physically Unable to Perform list until at least Week 5.
Despite the mounting injuries, the 49ers started the season with two dominant wins, scoring at least 20 points more than their opponents in each game. Shanahan expressed confidence that Bosa would return this season, unlike his prolonged absence last year. He also noted that West, Thompson, and Height are expected to return at some point. "I know we haven’t had good luck these last couple years," Shanahan said. "It’s started out bad, so hopefully we’re getting it out of the way and it’ll get better as the year goes. I’m happy that we haven’t lost those guys for the whole year."