San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan on Friday provided some updates on defensive end Nick Bosa after Bosa unexpectedly popped up on the practice participation report Thursday with a calf injury.
Shanahan didn't speak with reporters Thursday, so there was some uncertainty about what sort of issue Bosa was dealing with. News broke Friday morning that Bosa would be out for an extended period of time nursing the calf injury. Shanahan on Friday said the injury happened right before Thursday's practice.
"Just his warmup deal," Shanahan said. "Right before walk-through he does his own warmup there on the side and just got his calf doing it."
There's still no decision on whether Bosa will go on injured reserve, but Shanahan provided some optimism
that the injury won't be something that costs Bosa his eighth NFL season.
While Shanahan did say Bosa would be back − there was less certainty on a specific timeline.
"We can't say exactly," Shanahan said. "But I'm guessing around a few weeks."
The 49ers can survive a few weeks without Bosa, though another injury on their already depleted defensive front isn't helpful. Particularly with Bosa who was off to an excellent start after returning from a torn ACL he sustained last season.
It wouldn't be a surprise if they hold him out beyond the "few weeks" mark in an effort to ensure he's fully healthy when he returns. The last thing they'll want this early in the 18-week season is to rush Bosa back and risk a longer-term issue that does wind up costing him the season.
If they hold him out through the Week 8 Bye it would put him at six weeks out and coming back off the team's Bye week for a home game vs. the Las Vegas Raiders.
For now the 49ers can take solace that the issue isn't something more serious. They just need to make sure they take the correct steps to keep it that way once he does come back.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Kyle Shanahan provides optimistic update after Nick Bosa injury
