Bosa (18.5 sacks, 48 quarterback hits in 2022) is in the fifth and final year of his rookie contract with the 49ers, who are expected to eventually give him an extension that makes him one of the highest-paid defensive players in the NFL. But that extension has yet to be completed, and with the rest of the team reporting to training camp today, it appears Bosa will be away from the 49ers for the foreseeable future.
"Everybody's reporting today," 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters Tuesday. "12:30 (p.m. PT) is our first kind of event as a team. That will be our conditioning test -- our tempo run as we call it. I've seen various players -- have not seen Nick. I would expect he's not here to start off."
Fortunately it seems the 49ers have been making progress in their negotiations with Bosa and his agent, Brian Ayrault. Lynch says Bosa's status as one of the top players in the NFL is making the negotiations more of a challenge than they normally would be.
"We're working. We're having really good communication with Brian Ayrault," Lynch said. "He's got good, competent and people we have an immense amount of respect for working for him. And we're working diligently to try to come to an agreement. I think the challenges -- you're talking about a real special player. You're talking about one of the better players in the league. You could argue that could simplify things but I think at times it's just finding that sweet spot. We're committed to working towards that."
Both Bosa and the 49ers have long expressed interest in coming to a deal. So even though nothing is finalized as of Tuesday, the expectation is that Bosa and the 49ers will come to an agreement sooner or later.
"We want all our players to be here," Lynch said. "We've got a pretty good track record of having our guys here and done with contracts. Like I said, this one may be perhaps a little more complex. No timelines there, but I can tell you that we're working hard. We have good communication, and we've got to keep doing that. The interest is mutual."
The 49ers hold their first practice of training camp on Wednesday. In the meantime, Bosa, who joined the 49ers in 2019 after being selected second overall in the NFL Draft, is expected to remain away from the team and will most likely not be a "hold-in" player who reports to the team but doesn't practice.
"He's not getting fined $50,000 a day (because he's in the fifth-year option portion of his rookie contract)," head coach Kyle Shanahan said. "So he's not in that same situation."
The 49ers will also remain quiet on where things stand with the negotiations. When there's news to report on the issue, the 49ers will make an announcement. But it doesn't sound like they'll say anything specific before then.
"We're going to keep things private," Lynch said. "I always appreciated that as a player. I feel like there's some sanctity to those things. You don't want everything being aired out. And so we've agreed with Brian and Nick to keep our dealings private. So I think that's the extent of what I'll say, and when there's updates, we'll give them to you."
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' Christian McCaffrey contract speculation emerges after training camp setback
NFL situations are often overanalyzed by the media, and that may be the case with San Francisco 49ers star running back Christian McCaffrey's recent training camp setback. McCaffrey has not practiced since August 8, when he was sidelined by what the 49ers described as... -
49ers injury updates: Encouraging news on Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, Mike Evans, others
The San Francisco 49ers took part in a joint practice with the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday at the Chargers' practice facility in El Segundo, California. Running back Christian McCaffrey continues to miss practice as he works through some "tightness." McCaffrey has not... -
49ers' Nick Bosa offers positive update on ACL recovery and Week 1 status
San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa has missed several training camp practices due to soreness and tendinitis in his surgically repaired knee. The pass rusher was limited to just three games last season after suffering a torn ACL, but was medically cleared at the start... -
49ers Training Camp Practice 15: Quick Hits
The San Francisco 49ers were back on the practice field Friday for their 15th training camp practice, with several players returning to action while a couple of new injuries were added to the list. Rookie WR De'Zhaun Stribling and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir are both dealing...