Shanahan expects Nick Bosa to return to practice next week as 49ers manage knee recovery

San Francisco enters the season stretch with a key decision point already on the horizon: whether defensive end Nick Bosa will be able to rejoin practice before the 49ers’ trip to Australia. On Tuesday, coach Kyle Shanahan said he is hopeful that Bosa will take part in team activities next week, after Bosa had not practiced since August 3 due to pain in his surgically repaired right knee.

Bosa’s absence has placed an emphasis on how the 49ers plan their early preparation period. Shanahan’s comments pointed to an incremental improvement rather than a sudden return, framing the situation as progress toward being available for the next set of practices rather than a guaranteed timeline.

The timing matters because NFL teams enter a constrained offseason calendar after the preseason ends. According to Shanahan’s remarks, the league’s mandatory three-day break for players would be followed by three practices for the 49ers before they leave for Australia. Those sessions are viewed internally as a final, targeted window to sharpen execution and defensive timing, with Shanahan indicating that he wants Bosa on the field for them.

For a defensive unit built around pressure and snap-to-snap disruption, Bosa’s workload and participation are more than a simple availability question. Even in practice, a player who anchors edge rush assignments affects how the rest of the defense is staged, including matchups and the rhythm of blitz packages and containment responsibilities.

The 49ers’ situation also highlights how teams handle knee-related soreness late in camp. The report frames Bosa’s status as driven by pain after surgery, and Shanahan’s expectation of next week’s practice suggests the organization believes the knee is trending in the right direction. Still, the language used matters, because “hoping” implies ongoing monitoring of symptoms and the possibility that adjustments could be required.

San Francisco also has an immediate season-opening context tied to the trip abroad. Shanahan noted that the 49ers will depart after those three practices for the regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia, making Bosa’s availability a practical question for the days leading up to that trip.

What to watch next is whether Bosa’s name appears in practice participation in the next week, and whether the team’s edge-rush rotation indicates a full integration or a measured ramp. If Bosa can return, it could stabilize the 49ers’ defensive preparation right before they leave for the opener; if not, Shanahan’s plan likely shifts toward compensating in the same short practice window.

Either way, the coaching staff’s next updates will likely hinge on pain tolerance and day-to-day progress rather than a fixed sprint schedule, because knee recoveries can fluctuate even when the general trend is positive. For now, the indication from Shanahan is that the 49ers believe Bosa is improving, and the next few practices will determine how much of camp’s final work he can take part in.