49ers cautiously inserting Nick Bosa, George Kittle into team drills

SANTA CLARA – The pressure-packed comebacks of defensive end Nick Bosa and tight end George Kittle are ready to enter full-team drills, a week before 49ers practices go full throttle for their season opener in Australia.

“We’ll get them out there these three days and hope it goes well,” coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday. “We’re balancing it out with both of them.”

The 49ers have a three-day stretch of practice before flying Wednesday to Melbourne, Australia, where they’ll hold a light workout Saturday before next week’s practices leading into their season opener against the Los Angeles Rams (Sept. 10, 5:35 p.m.).

Shanahan stopped short of announcing whether Bosa or Kittle would suit up in that game, and the 49ers are montioring their workload as that duo eases into team drills for the first time since last season’s injuries.

Bosa stopped practicing four weeks ago, at first because of soreness to his surgically repaired right knee and then just out of precaution, Shanahan and general manager John Lynch said Monday.

“Nick’s been through this before with ACLs,” Lynch said. “He’s blessed with tremendous genes and was going along great. When he upped the activity, he got sore, so he backed off. We put together a really good plan that we believe will have him ready for Australia.”

Kittle’s return from January’s right-Achilles rupture remains ahead of schedule. Shanahan confessed he misspoke after Thursday’s preseason finale, with some interpreting his words as if Kittle had taken “a step back” rather than a step toward getting back on the field.

Shanahan said it would be nice to decide on Kittle’s Week 1 availability before Wednesday’s practice but that this week’s drills will factor into that.

Bosa and Kittle won’t be the only ones who will avoid daily practices. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw and wide receiver Mike Evans are also in that category, while left tackle Trent Williams and running back Christian McCaffrey are expected to get veteran-protocol rest once a week during the season.

NO PAY FOR B.A.

The 49ers do not need to pay wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk any further bonus money because he remains on the reserve/left squad list, said Lynch, adding: “Nothing’s changed. … As such, he’s not on our roster.”

MYKEL WILLIAMS’ STATUS

One starter who didn’t get cleared to immediately start his comeback is defensive end Mykel Williams, last year’s first-round pick who will open this season on the Physically Unable to Perform list and miss a minimum of four games. Lynchy said Williams is nine months into a 10-month recovery after tearing his ACL and cartilage inside his knee last season. “Ultimately, Mykel means a lot to this organization,” Lynch said. “It’s going to stink not having him the first four games but we’ll have him the rest of the year in really good fashion if we allow him the necessary time.”

JOBS STILL OPEN

Shanahan said he still does not know who will start at left guard or who will be McCaffrey’s immediate backup, although Lynch praised how both Kaelon Black and Jordan James looked in recent practices and preseason games.

TRADE FOR LINEMEN

The 49ers officially completed a trade for interior offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson for a 2027 seventh-round pick. “We love that he has flex at center and guard. It’s still fluid in all the positions in there and we need to see how he fits the next three days,” Shanahan said.

SAFETY SITUATION

Ashtyn Davis, a Santa Cruz native and Cal product, re-signed to the 53-man roster because the 49ers covet his experience at safety as well as on special teams, Shanahan said.

Potential starting safety Malik Mustapha is cleared to resume practicing after missing almost all of training camp with a hamstring injury. Other safeties on the roster are Ji’Ayir Brown, Marques Sigle and Siran Neal.

MARTIN TO IR

Linebacker Nick Martin, along with cornerback Nate Hobbs, was moved onto Injured Reserve and the 49ers used those roster spots on re-signing Davis and punter Corliss Waitman. “Nick’s a guy we’re excited about. iIt’s a really strong (linebacker) group,” Lynch said.