Nick Bosa’s return is still up in the air, but the 49ers are clearly hoping it comes soon.
San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan said he “would love” to have Bosa back before the team’s Week 8 bye, though he stopped short of putting a timetable on it. Bosa has missed the last two weeks with a calf injury after returning to action from a torn ACL.
“Hopefully it’ll be sooner than later. We’d love to get him out there before our bye week,” Shanahan said, via KNBR. “I don’t think he’s far from playing, but still too early to tell.”
The 49ers may also get another defensive piece back on Sunday against Seattle. Per ESPN, defensive end Mykel Williams is set to make his season debut against the Seahawks.
Out in Arizona, Marvin Harrison Jr. is brushing off the noise around him. The Cardinals receiver recently hired agents Todd France and Tory Dandy after previously representing himself, and he told reporters Thursday that the trade chatter doesn’t register with him. Harrison also will not play against the Lions, as the team expects to have a deal in place for him on Monday.
“Truthfully, I pay it no mind,” Harrison said, via ESPN. “I’m only focused on Detroit, helping the Cardinals win football games at the moment. So whatever rumors you’re talking about, I don’t pay it no mind.”
In Seattle, linebacker Ernest Jones IV made it clear the team’s players-only meeting was a one-time thing. Jones said it’s the kind of conversation the Seahawks only needed once this season.
“ Just once, ” Jones said, via PFT. “ You address that and you address other things in the same situation, so you don’t have to get to it later.
Just once. ”
He also explained why the coaching staff wasn’t part of the discussion.
“ We’re the ones going out there doing it, ” Jones said. “ Putting our bodies on the line so we don’t want to be doing it and costing the team.
I don’t think it means more coming from one person, but having your brothers speak to you and come to you, it may do a little difference. ”
In Other News...
Seahawks May Have Found The Fastest Fix For Rashid Shaheed
Rashid Shaheeds early return in the passing game has been modest through four games, but the Seahawks may already be searching for a faster way to get him involved. Offensive coordinator Brian Fleury gave him a couple of rushing attempts in a recent game, and one of them turned into a 28-yard touchdown run, a reminder that Shaheeds speed can change the feel of a possession in a hurry.
That kind of usage points to a possible shift in how Seattle wants to deploy him, with a gadget-style role that leans on his quickness more than his route volume. The comparison to Deebo Samuel is obvious enough in concept, but the bigger question is whether Shaheed can keep turning those touches into real production if the Seahawks keep dialing up plays for him this way. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Backfield Injuries Just Put One Newcomer In The Spotlight
The Seahawks have had to reinforce their backfield depth at just the right moment, adding Robert Henry Jr. and Dontae McMillan as injuries continue to thin out the running back room. Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price are both dealing with injury issues, and the timing matters with Week 5 against the San Francisco 49ers coming up fast.
Henry arrived from the Washington Commanders' practice squad and could be in line to help sooner rather than later, giving Seattle another fresh option as it sorts through the backfield. McMillan is on the ready squad for now, but with local ties and a previous stint with the Seahawks, his return adds a familiar name to a position group that suddenly needs a little more stability. [Read more 🡒]
Leonard Williams Changes The Feel Of Seahawks Niners Week 5
Leonard Williams was back at full practice participation this week after an ankle injury, and that alone changes the look of Seattles Week 5 meeting with the San Francisco 49ers. The Seahawks are dealing with their own injury absences, including running backs Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price, cornerback Julian Neal and linebacker Chazz Surratt, so getting a starting defensive lineman back on the field matters even more as the matchup approaches.
The timing also matters because the 49ers are missing some important pieces of their own, including edge rusher Nick Bosa and fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Williams is expected to start, and his presence gives Seattle a more complete front in a game that already carries extra weight in the NFC West race, with both teams trying to absorb injuries without letting the other side set the tone. [Read more 🡒]