WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.V. — Two years ago, Nick Bosa arrived with the 49ers here at The Greenbrier Resort despite having just endured a season-ending knee injury.
That is the only injury that’s kept Bosa out of games in his NFL career. Considering that, it shouldn’t have been too surprising to see him return to practice Friday.
A groin issue has him questionable for Sunday’s game at the Atlanta Falcons.
“We’ve got to be smart with all that,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “It’s not bad enough to say he’s out but you have to be careful whoever has that (groin issue), especially Nick.”
Bosa had core-muscle surgery four years ago to prematurely end his Ohio State career, and his older brother, Joey, recently underwent groin surgery to go on the Los Angeles Chargers’ injured reserve list.
Bosa’s groin tightened and kept him out after halftime of Sunday’s 37-15 rout at Carolina, and he missed the 49ers’ ensuing practices Wednesday and Thursday.
Bosa, aside from those 2020 torn knee ligaments, has played through injuries, such as a high-ankle sprain at the start of his rookie season. In last season’s playoffs, a concussion kept him out after halftime of the 49ers’ wild-card win at Dallas, but he returned to play (and record two sacks) in their divisional win at Green Bay. Although he didn’t have a sack before exiting last game, his six this season are tied for the NFL lead.
#49ers Nick Bosa is participating in his first practice this week and not laboring despite groin issue that kept him after halftime last Sunday at Carolina, so he could be able to play at Atlanta. Official status report upcoming pic.twitter.com/HuyLwJY3da
— Cam Inman (@CamInman) October 14, 2022
The 49ers (3-2) ruled out defensive tackles Arik Armstead (feet, ankle) and Javon Kinlaw (knee), but their defensive front is not exactly barren, and that depth should help a secondary that fills a cornerback spot vacated by Emmanuel Moseley, who had a season-ending knee injury Sunday in Carolina.
Samson Ebukam, the 49ers’ starting defensive end opposite Bosa, has three sacks. More pertinent this game if Bosa misses are the emergence of Charles Omenihu and Drake Jackson, who each have two sacks.
Omenihu arrived via trade last October from the Houston Texans, and Jackson was the 49ers’ top draft pick this year (second round, USC). Omenihu said it wasn’t until this spring and summer that he settled into the 49ers’ defensive scheme: “It’s a lot more technical than what it looks, (with) the angles, your steps. This is a very detailed defense for a down lineman.”
Perhaps that is why the 49ers continue to cautiously praise Jackson, such as defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans saying: “Yeah, he still has a ways to go, but he’s doing a good job of being dialed in with everything that we’re asking him to do.”
Jackson showed his signature athleticism last game when he did a cartwheel on a second-down incompletion, but it was to avoid colliding with a teammate rather than a celebratory move. “Drake is a super athlete. That guy fits the mold of the athleticism for somebody you want in this defense,” Omenihu said. “As a rookie you have to continue to improve. You can’t get stuck in place because you have a bad day. There’s veteran dudes that have been in this league for 10 years, so you think just going to run around and do this, you’re lying.”
NOTES
— Cornerback Jason Verrett was kept off the practice field for a second straight day. “He had some soreness and we wanted to settle it down,” said Shanahan, adding that the plan is for Verrett to resume practicing next Wednessay.
This is the second of three weeks the 49ers have to evaluate whether his surgically repaired knee is ready for him to come off the physically-unable-to-perform list.
— Kicker Robbie Gould is cleared to play Sunday despite a knee bruise that prompted the 49ers to sign a kicker, Sam Sloman, to their practice squad Tuesday.
—Left guard Aaron Banks (knee) and tight end Tyler Kroft (knee) are questionable.
— Others ruled out are defensive backs Emmanuel Moseley (knee) and Jimmie Ward (hand), and left tackle Trent Williams (ankle).
— Scout team players of the week: wide receiver Tay Martin and offensive linemen Jason Poe and Keith Ismael. Poe played both offense and defense, and the undrafted rookie had the team loudly laughing as he broke down Thursday’s post-practice huddle.
Source: www.mercurynews.com