Kyle Shanahan made an effort to sidestep injury updates following the 49ers’ initial practice in Australia, cleverly noting that they were a day ahead of the Rams.
Meanwhile, Aaron Donald, when asked about his status after returning to 11-on-11 practice for the first time this week, only smiled and said he was “feeling good.”
The teams dropped the pretense on Tuesday.
After some of this gamesmanship, it was clear that the 49ers came out in a better position. With Nick Bosa and George Kittle expected to play, their only concern was facing Myles Garrett, another future Hall of Famer.
Donald, who returned from retirement less than two weeks ago, won’t be traveling with the Rams for their season opener in Melbourne, according to Coach Sean McVay.
It’s clear that the 49ers had the better scenario, whether facing the Rams with or without Donald.
Most of the team likely woke up to news of this development on Wednesday in Melbourne. Earlier that week, coordinators Klay Kubiak and Raheem Morris had hinted at something even more promising.
“Oh, Nick Bosa? He’s going out there,” said Morris. “We’re not hiding that.”
Bosa had only started trending positively the previous week, participating in one practice before heading to Australia. He had missed a significant amount of training camp due to complications from knee surgery last September.
Kittle’s situation was similarly uncertain, nearly nine months post-rupture of his Achilles tendon. He actually returned to practice about a week ahead of Bosa but had recently undergone surgery. However, from what it sounds like, both should be ready following two practices in Australia.
“What the workload will be, we’ll see, but he looks good,” Kubiak said. “He’s practicing at full speed and getting a lot of reps. So, I feel like we’re in a good spot.”
It was encouraging to see both players board the plane in San Francisco, yet their statuses for the season opener were still not guaranteed. Bosa is recovering from a second ACL reconstruction on his right knee in less than a year, which typically takes longer to heal. Recovery from Achilles tears usually takes around a year, too.
It’s quite remarkable that both were able to make the trip at all.
Now, having completed two practices and adjusting to the 17-hour time difference, the 49ers seem optimistic about counting on their star players.
Despite being halfway around the globe, it feels a bit like a turn of fortune for the 49ers regarding the injury report. Following Tuesday’s events, Shanahan appears to be on point, while McVay is off to a rocky start.
This situation reflects the differing strategies both teams bring to the game. The 49ers clearly need a win more than the Rams do. They’re adjusting their schedules and will have to reset them upon returning home. With the Rams planning to arrive just a day before the game to stay on Pacific time, the focus seems to be on future games, possibly to avoid overworking the 35-year-old Donald before the next 16 matches.
Whatever the reasoning might be, it certainly benefits the 49ers, who might have faced challenges with their weak left guard against Garrett and Donald.
The decision on who starts next to Trent Williams remains unclear. Kubiak suggested a rotation among players like Connor Colby, Carver Willis, or even the new addition Jarrett Patterson. There must have been a sigh of relief at the 49ers’ hotel.
Morris is anticipated to roll out some new defensive schemes in his first game leading the 49ers’ defense, but finding pressure on Matthew Stafford without Bosa would have required extra creativity.
A rookie edge rusher, Romello Height, just returned from an ankle injury, and the 49ers had to recruit Khalid Kareem from the Falcons’ practice squad after Sam Okuayinonu suffered a foot injury just before departing for the trip.
The return of Kittle is undoubtedly exciting for Brock Purdy, who witnessed Kittle’s dedicated rehab this past summer in Nashville and will now have his favorite target against a formidable Los Angeles defense, even without Donald.
“All I know is he went hard,” Purdy remarked. “He wanted to be back with the team and give everything he has for this organization. That’s George.”
Without a doubt, the 49ers are riding a wave of momentum as they head into Thursday night’s game.
Having practiced without significant numbers of players throughout training camp, they’ve enjoyed almost full participation since arriving in Australia. The only player sitting out Tuesday’s practice was rookie defensive tackle James Thompson Jr.
The Rams might find themselves heading back to Los Angeles before they even grasp what’s hit them.
