Nick Bosa’s ACL injury tests the 49ers’ depth as rookies Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, and CJ West join veterans Sam Okuayinonu and Yetur Gross-Matos in elevating the edge pressure. Kyler Murray and the Cardinals nearly drained the clock, with Upton Stout making a late impact. Trade chatter surrounds Trey Hendrickson as SF contemplates a path to continued pressure in 2025 and beyond. Trent Williams stabilizes the line, while Colby and Puni face a tough week-to-week grind. Kyle Shanahan’s injury updates frame a cautious, aggressive path forward that leans on youth developing under pressure.

Rookie development dominates SF’s narrative as the defense leans on a next-man-up approach. In pass protection, Luke Farrell shines while Colby’s five pressures highlight the volatility of new starters. The Hendrickson discourse—conditional picks and playoff incentives—embodies SF’s win-now tilt even with Bosa sidelined. Shanahan’s updates stress progression and scheme adaptability as the 49ers navigate a challenging early schedule.

Overall, SF’s strategy blends youth acceleration with veteran floor, aiming to keep pressure on the quarterback while the roster recalibrates around Bosa’s absence. The coming weeks will reveal which youngsters carry fantasy value and which veteran protections hold the line as SF seeks consistency without its star edge.

Connor Colby stepped in when Ben Bartch sustained a high ankle sprain, and his Week 2 showing suggested he can handle left guard duties. He posted zero pressures on 38 pass-blocking snaps and earned a 73.1 pass-blocking grade, signaling solid early integration into the 49ers’ interior. Bartch’s injury opens a door for Colby to lock onto the job, at least temporarily, as San Francisco weighs its cost-controlled rookie options.

Bartch’s modest one-year deal and the team’s pursuit of affordable, draft-driven depth make Colby’s rise particularly significant. With Dominick Puni in the mix and Nick Zakelj pushed down the depth chart, Colby could form a compelling guard duo with Puni, enabling a longer window of contention for a squad chasing another title run while contending with OL fragility.

Ricky Pearsall’s ground-up warmups center on feet and ankles, with toe work and CARs sharpening his breaks and hip openness, a recipe that could lift his week-to-week burst and create fantasy upside for SF’s receiver corps.

Jauan Jennings is back at practice, easing some WR depth concerns as Dominick Puni rehabs a PCL and co. like Kalia Davis and Yetur Gross-Matos push for Week 1 roles. Jordan Watkins’ limited practice pace keeps the Week 1 picture fluid for SF’s pass catchers.

Morstead’s self-representation story underscores player leverage and direct talks as SF’s special-teams unit leans on a steady punting game, while the coachspeak around Puni’s status hints at interior-line depth shaping the opener. The overall vibe is health upgrades with a few key question marks entering Seattle Week.

San Francisco’s last weekend without football centers on a dynamic mix of veteran presence and youth. Marquez Valdes-Scantling lands on the practice squad, while Dominick Puni and Kalia Davis push toward Week 1 availability in Seattle. Kendrick Bourne re-emerges on the radar for a potential SF reunion, as rookie Marques Sigle and Malik Mustapha push SF’s swarm mentality. Ricky Pearsall and George Kittle anchor a capable pass-catching group, with Christian McCaffrey and Matt Breida ready for sizable roles and Robbie Gould stabilizing special teams.

SF’s stance on roster depth—no distinction between practice squad and 53-man roster—keeps options open as the young defensive line and smart special teams playmakers aim to lift a team seeking stability after a bumpy finish to last season. The piece also flags looming questions about how the incoming pieces mesh with a likely high-usage offense built around Kittle and McCaffrey, and how Seattle’s Week 1 test might shape early fantasy projections.