While the Pittsburgh Steelers are a healthy and complete-looking squad led by a potent-looking pass rush of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, and others, the San Francisco 49ers have question marks in the trenches. Most notably, 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa remains a holdout. And with the NFL officially entering Week One, the clock is ticking.
Speaking with KNBR’s Tom Tolbert and Ray Ratto on his weekly radio show, 49ers’ head coach Kyle Shanahan provided an update on Bosa’s situation. Though it sounded like wishing more than anything else.
“I’ve never had to make that decision before and I won’t make that until I see him,” Shanahan said of deciding if Bosa would play if he signs his contract this week. “I mean, I’m gonna do everything I can to hope that he plays versus Pittsburgh.”
Bosa is looking for a mega payday that would likely make him the highest-paid defensive player in the game. He’s coming off a great 2022 season, leading the NFL with 18.5 sacks en route to winning Defensive Player of the Year honors. Over the last two seasons, his 34 sacks lead the NFL and he’s one of only two players with at least 30 of them since 2021. Myles Garrett is the other with 32 while T.J. Watt has 28 after missing half of last season with his partially torn pectoral muscle.
Most reporters believe Bosa will get a deal done prior to Sunday’s kickoff. Still, others have cautioned it’s not a “slam dunk,” like ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who noted all the details both sides have to agree upon before a new contract is struck.
At this point, even if Bosa plays, he’ll likely be on a snap count. That could mean only playing on passing downs. Shanahan seemed to hint as much, acknowledging the long season ahead.
“It’s just when he gets here and making sure he is in football shape. And we don’t do anything that jeopardizes him not having him later.”
But that’s where he makes his biggest impact and Pittsburgh’s tackle duo of Dan Moore Jr. and Chukwuma Okorafor will have to be at their best. Other threats up front along that 49ers’ d-line include last year’s second round pick Drake Jackson, with three sacks his rookie year, and former Pittsburgh Steelers’ DT Javon Hargrave, coming off a career-high 11 sacks a year ago for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Pittsburgh and San Francisco square off Sunday at 1 PM/EST at Acrisure Stadium.
