For years, Nick Bosa has been a looming threat to any offense taking on the San Francisco 49ers. He's one of the biggest names in the league for a reason, having earned himself five Pro Bowl honors and Defensive Player of the Year in 2022. The 28-year-old has also accumulated 64.5 sacks and is bound to tack on a few more before his Niners tenure is over.
If he can stay healthy, that is.
The edge rusher will reportedly miss multiple weeks due to a calf strain, which only adds to the laundry list of ailments that have begun to cast a shadow over his career.
Bosa has had a long history of injuries, most notably an ACL injury that kept him out most of the 2025 season. He battled back through the summer, was considered week-to-week almost the whole preseason, and was only cleared just before the Melbourne season opener.
Nick Bosa's mere presence is a cheat code for the 49ers' defense
The entire defensive landscape changes when Bosa is in the lineup. It's a luxury defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has enjoyed each of his first two weeks of the season. Since the start of camp, Morris has been hailed for his ability to command the defense, but that may be put to the test in Week 3.
Bosa is exactly the kind of player offenses need to build their game plan around, and that was the case in Week 2. He was on the field for 71.4% of defensive snaps against the Miami Dolphins. He ended the day with only three tackles, none of which were solo.
Nonetheless, he completely altered how Miami went about their scheme. Bosa failed to light up the box score because the Dolphins planned around him and successfully boxed him out of almost every play. The 49ers still got to quarterback Malik Willis, sacking him four times and allowing him to throw for just 197 yards.
Raheem Morris must find a new way to create pressure without Nick Bosa
Morris has spent the first two games calling a defense where Bosa's very presence warps the protection. Without the former first-round pick, he no longer has that luxury.
That's not to say that the 49ers still don't have other proven pieces. Any defense with Fred Warner on the field is a fearsome one, and Ji'Ayir Brown posted 13 total tackles against the Dolphins.
Raheem Morris will likely still have tricks up his sleeve. Keion White gets the first crack at being the guy, and Ogbo Okoronkwo could step up in support. Warner could be weaponized as a blitzer, and Arizona's faster-paced offense is a fair test of a coverage-based approach.
Over the last two weeks, Morris has shown his ability to call plays effectively, but now he has to produce without one of his brightest stars. Sunday against the Cardinals will be a test of how many losses Morris and his defense can truly withstand.
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