49ers get bad news on Nick Bosa

The San Francisco 49ers are trying to finally get it right. Nick Bosa and his ankle injury aren’t helping.

Nick Bosa will now be sidelined for the remainder of the preseason and could miss regular season games. The No. 2 overall pick is supposed to be one of the pillars for San Francisco in the front seven, along with outside linebacker Dee Ford and fellow defensive end DeForest Buckner. Now, with Bosa on the shelf for the next month or so, the oft-injured 49ers are already dealing with issues.

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In their quote sheet from Thursday, head coach Kyle Shanahan detailed Bosa’s situation.

“I believe there are three components of a high ankle sprain, which makes it an official high ankle sprain. He does not have all three of them. That’s all the science I know on that. Basically, it’s a minor high ankle sprain, but there’s no such thing as a minor high ankle sprain, because we know those are a much bigger deal than low ones. We’re hoping for Week 1.”

While the diagnosis isn’t devastating, it’s a hinderance. It’s also an ugly reminder of last season, which was submarined by a host of injuries. In 2018, it was running back Jerick McKinnon going down with a torn ACL in August — McKinnon is now dealing with a sore knee and will likely require an injection — before quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered the same injury in the fourth quarter of a Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium.

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For the 49ers, there has to be a leap. It’s the third year of the Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch regime. While the chatter continues to be there, the tangible evidence of progress continues to elude the team. Lynch was once lauded for a draft class headlined by Solomon Thomas and Reuben Foster. Two years later, Thomas has been a bust to this juncture while Foster is employed by the Washington Redskins following his release last season.

Once Nick Bosa returns, San Francisco needs him to be both fully healed and an immediate impact player. For years, the 49ers have been selling hope to a fan base already burden by the move of the franchise from San Francisco to Santa Clara. Now, with so much on the line for a team long on potential but short on results, Bosa’s injury only feels like another roadblock.