49ers Could Get Nick Bosa, George Kittle Back for Australia Trip

As the San Francisco 49ers prepare for their unprecedented season-opening trip to Melbourne, Australia, head coach Kyle Shanahan provided a much-needed dose of optimism on Monday: star pass rusher Nick Bosa and All-Pro tight end George Kittle are expected to return to practice this week. The announcement comes as the team navigates a unique schedule that includes three bonus practices before flying Down Under, a wrinkle that has forced the coaching staff to rethink its usual preparation rhythm.

Managing Workloads for Bosa and Kittle

Shanahan detailed the careful balancing act required for both players, emphasizing that neither will practice all three days. "With three days before we go, we're balancing it out with both of them. We don't want them to go three days in a row, so we're going to do a little on some of these days, and more on one," he explained. The compressed timeline—what would typically be a bonus Monday will now fall on Saturday in Australia—means the team must accelerate its decision-making. Kittle, who previously stated he would only travel if he were able to play, remains a game-time decision. Shanahan acknowledged the importance of clarity before departure: "I don't think you have to do anything. I think if we didn't think he was going to play, though, and it was looking that way, I think it'd be much nicer to make that decision before we left instead of having him go through all that."

For Bosa, the situation is less about injury and more about maintenance. Shanahan noted, "You guys see him on the field working out. He's feeling great. We're deciding how much we want to do in team settings going against people and stuff before we get out there." General manager John Lynch echoed that sentiment, expressing confidence in Bosa's self-awareness: "Nick's pretty blessed with tremendous genes... He knows his body extremely well and knows what it takes to have him ready. We saw him one year in a contract year come in here like on a Thursday and play pretty well on Sunday. So, got a lot of faith in his ability to do that."

Offensive Line and Other Reinforcements

Beyond the star duo, the 49ers are integrating several key pieces. Shanahan declined to name a starting left guard or backup running back, noting the fluidity of the offensive line. The addition of Jarrett Patterson—who can play both center and guard—adds competition. "I want to get him in the group, see where he fits, just see him in person, see how he can help us at guard, how he can help us at center, and how he stacks up to the other guys," Shanahan said.

Safety Malik Mustapha returns to practice for the first time in over a month, along with Dominick Puni, Vederian Lowe, Kurtis Rourke, and Kyle Juszczyk. Meanwhile, Dre Greenlaw will be on a maintenance schedule all season, and veteran Mike Evans—who has never practiced three days in a row—will be handled carefully, similar to Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey. Shanahan confirmed Evans is ahead of schedule and may practice as soon as the first "Monday" in Australia.

According to The Athletic's Matt Barrows, several players worked off to the side, including Evans, Gracen Halton, Renardo Green, Brayden Willis, Luke Gifford, Jacob Cowing, and Nate Hobbs. Bosa, Romello Height, and Ephesians Prysock were not spotted during the media window, though they may have appeared later.

As the 49ers finalize their travel roster, the next three practices will be pivotal. The team's ability to get Bosa and Kittle on the plane—and contributing in Melbourne—could set the tone for a season filled with high expectations. As reported by the Vulius NFL Analysis Desk, all eyes will be on Santa Clara this week as Shanahan and his staff make these crucial calls.