An already-bad San Francisco 49ers pass rush is on the brink of getting much worse, thanks to the latest updates from head coach Kyle Shanahan.
And it involves the Niners' best defensive lineman, Nick Bosa.
Speaking to reporters after joint camp practices with the Tennessee Titans, Shanahan explained why Bosa missed his fifth day of practice after experiencing soreness, likely in the wake of working back from last year's ACL tear—his second since going pro back in 2019.
Turns out, according to the head coach, Bosa is experiencing tendinitis in his knee, as shared by NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco:
Coach Kyle Shanahan said 49ers DE Nick Bosa has tendinitis, which, he said, is "a pretty normal thing with ACLs." He said the team has to be smart with Bosa from week to week.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) August 11, 2026
Shanahan added it's "a pretty normal thing" with regard to this kind of recovery, and San Francisco can certainly hope the 28-year-old veteran isn't in serious danger of missing a lengthy amount of time or reinjuring himself.
But the possibility of such a setback is only one of the many problems this development presents.
Nick Bosa injury news is bad for 49ers on several fronts
"Being smart" with Bosa on a week-to-week basis is one more hurdle the 49ers will have to overcome, but it's painfully clear they don't exactly have many contingency plans.
A year removed from recording a league-low 20 sacks, largely because of Bosa's absence, the Niners still have relatively few options to supplement the pass rush, should the five-time Pro Bowler miss an extended amount of time this season. Keion White is, perhaps, the biggest name behind Bosa on the depth chart, and he's merely a rotational pass-rusher at best. Rookie Romello Height is, well... a rookie.
There aren't too many names worth mentioning after those three.
Beyond just the depth chart, the Niners are facing an uncomfortable Bosa conversation regarding his future contract. The 2019 first-round pick is poised to have a near-$55 million cap hit in 2027, and it's hard to envision San Francisco wanting to keep things that way, should Bosa miss a hefty chunk of time this season.
Well removed from his 18.5-sack 2022 campaign that resulted in a Defensive Player of the Year award, it's perfectly reasonable for the 49ers to worry about Bosa potentially being on the decline; injuries playing a substantial role in that already.
The latest development is just one more factor that plays into that suggestion, and if injuries continue to be a factor, it's possible the Niners have to rethink their entire pass rush without Bosa as a major player.
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