Should the 49ers be worried about Nick Bosa’s ability to hold up against the pounding of the NFL?
The San Francisco 49ers were considered one of the 2019 NFL draft’s biggest winners after the Arizona Cardinals selected QB Kyler Murray with the first overall pick. Nick Bosa, the accomplished edge rusher from Ohio State, was viewed by most draft analysts as the best all-around football player in the class; landing him at the second pick was a boon for San Francisco.
But Bosa didn’t have a perfect collegiate resume. Injuries hampered him throughout his time as a Buckeye, including a core muscle injury that limited him to only three games in his final season on campus. A hamstring injury kept him out of OTAs with the 49ers, too.
Now, it’s his ankle.
Bosa suffered an ankle sprain in Wednesday’s practice and although it isn’t considered serious, it’s still another injury added to the growing list of ailments he’s endured in less than one calendar year.
Remember: Bosa tore his ACL in high school, too.
The best ability any football player can bring to his team is availability, and no matter how talented Bosa is as a pass-rusher, it’s worthless if he can’t consistently be on the field. The 49ers selected Bosa with the vision of unleashing him with Dee Ford, the talented sack-artist whom San Francisco dealt a second-round pick for this offseason. It would be a crippling blow to the 49ers’ pass rush plans if Bosa is in and out of the lineup in 2019.
Fortunately, it appears San Francisco dodged a bullet this time. But this latest injury has to be causing some anxiety in the front office and coaching staff. The last thing the 49ers want with Bosa is for him to become a hold-your-breath player. You know the type; the guy who you just never know if they’re going to get up limping after making a play.
Don’t expect to see much of Bosa this preseason. The risk outweighs any reward of getting him a few meaningless reps. Instead, San Francisco’s focus will be on getting their prized first-rounder ready for Week 1 against the Buccaneers.