49ers Rush to Finish Nick Bosa Contract, Blast Trade Rumors

John Lynch, Kyle Shanahan, and the San Francisco 49ers have their eyes laser-focused on finishing their contract negotiations with Nick Bosa. However, recently, out of nowhere, some trade rumors popped up about the 49ers potentially shopping Bosa around the NFL. On Wednesday, Shanahan slammed those rumors and instead focused on getting Bosa back onto the practice field.

“No,” Shanahan said. “I feel pretty strongly, and I think everyone would agree with that.., I thought it would come probably at this time, just looking at the history of those things. And I’m really hoping it gets done. I know they’re working tirelessly at it, but hopefully, we can get him in here sooner than later.”

Lynch added another ‘no’ that statement by Shanahan on Thursday. Nick Bosa is asking to become the highest-paid edge rusher in the NFL. A week ago, Ian Rapoport suggested that Bosa could legitimately miss the team’s first game against the Steelers while his contract situation plays out. Lynch noted there is now “open, healthy communication” between the 49ers and Bosa’s side.

“Will be miss a game? I don’t know,” Rapoport said on KNBR last week. “But I will say this. I would say, if it’s possible for anyone to miss a game, Nick Bosa would be in the conversation. That family, as principled as they are, I could see it.”

Bosa is under contract for the 2023 season and would begin to miss out on salary if he misses games. But Rapoport said there did not seem to be an urgency to the proceedings last week, just over two weeks from the opener. With nine days until they kick off at Acrisure Stadium, Bosa will play on limited practice time if he does play.

Albert Breer noted in his column in the MMQB on Friday that it appears to be “when not if” Bosa and the 49ers agree to something. The start of the season is their deadline given that Bosa is not around, and both sides are working hard to bridge the negotiation gap.

“The Niners and Bosa’s people have been trying to bridge that gap for a while now,” Breer wrote. “They have an artificial deadline coming (the start of the season), and at some point something almost has to get done. It’s when, not if.”

It seems with the direction the situation is taking, the timeline is anything but inevitable at this point, but Mike Tomlin and the Steelers will likely prepare as if he will play.