Injuries have continued to nag Nick Bosa, and the newest setback — a pulled calf — is expected to keep him out for “a few weeks.” Sources including ESPN’s Adam Schefter and NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Friday that the five-time Pro Bowler suffered the calf injury in Thursday’s practice and will miss Sunday’s Week 3 game against the Arizona Cardinals.
San Francisco is considering whether to place Bosa on injured reserve; if they do, he would be sidelined for at least four games. The 28-year-old has battled durability issues in recent years, playing just three games last season. In Week 3 of the 2025 season (also against the Cardinals) he tore his right ACL — the third ACL tear of his career after an earlier left ACL injury in Week 2 of the 2020 season.
There was doubt whether he’d be ready for this year’s opener, but Bosa returned for the Niners’ 27-7 win over the Los Angeles Rams in Melbourne, Australia, recording four tackles and two tackles for loss. By the end of Week 2 — a 35-13 victory over the Miami Dolphins — Next Gen Stats credited him with six pressures, tied for the team lead.
His absence wasn’t fully unexpected after he sat out Wednesday’s first practice of the week as a “resting player/knee”; on Thursday the 49ers added “calf” to his injury designation and he joined the team’s growing list of injured players. Though San Francisco is 2-0, the defensive line has been hit hard: defensive tackle C.J. West was placed on IR with a knee issue, and Sam Okuayinonu and Alfred Collins also landed on IR early in the season with foot and patellar tendon injuries, respectively. James Thompson Jr. is sidelined for three to six weeks with a high ankle sprain, and edge rusher Romello Height remains uncertain for Sunday while dealing with a broken hand and has not practiced this week.
The tally of absences also includes rookie defensive end Mykel Williams (the 49ers’ 2025 first-round pick, 11th overall), who is on the physically unable to perform list after a torn ACL and cannot return until at least Week 5 against the Seattle Seahawks. On top of all that, San Francisco is managing a separate slate of wide receiver injuries as well.
Fan take: This is worrying for a team that prides itself on defensive dominance — losing Bosa even briefly could shift game plans and expose depth issues along the front. For the league, recurring injuries to marquee pass rushers like Bosa highlight ongoing concerns about player durability and the importance of roster depth and injury prevention.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
