SAN FRANCISCO (95.7 The Game) - Heading into the 2021 season, you can make a strong argument that no team's fan base deserves to hear good news about the health status of their team's players more than 49ers fans after what the organization went through in 2020.
And that's exactly what general manager John Lynch and head coach Mike Shanahan were able to deliver on Tuesday, as the players reported to Levi's Stadium for the start of training camp.
Defensive ends Nick Bosa (knee) and Dee Ford (back) are not expected to begin camp on the physically unable to perform list. However, the team made it clear that they'll exercise caution when it comes to both players.
“We’ll obviously ease him in,” Shanahan said of Bosa, who will be limited to begin camp. “He looked great and it felt a lot better having him back in the building.”
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Bosa, who tore the ACL in his left knee in the second game of the 2020 season, was among several key members to be placed on injured reserve last year.
"The cool thing with Nick is he’s good at documenting workouts and sending him our way. You always get to see videos. You never have to question his work ethic. It’s a special routine he’s developed and it’s fun to watch a guy like that work," Lynch said.
As for Ford, he appeared in the first game of the season but never returned due to a back and neck injury. Lynch said Tuesday that Ford was able to forego a procedure but it's been a tough injury to manage.
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"That’s been the challenge. It has been a moving target, and that’s not abnormal when dealing with the core of your body and your spine. We feel we have a good handle on it but it’s a cautiously optimistic approach."
Ford, 30, has only appeared in 12 games with the 49ers since he signed a five-year, $87.5 million deal in 2019.
He reportedly restructured his contract this offseason, which generated $11 million in cap space for the 49ers.
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