Nick Bosa returned to practice after missing most of organized team activities and all of minicamp with a low-grade hamstring injury. The rookie pass rusher impressed one San Francisco 49ers veteran, tackle Joe Staley, in his first-ever training camp practice.
Bosa is two days removed from signing his four-year rookie contract and was excited to be back on the practice field.
Staley told Chris Biderman of the Sacramento Bee that Bosa beat him on three separate plays and said Bosa's hips make blocking the rookie a challenge.
Staley said after practice that Nick Bosa beat him three separate times and Bosa's hips making very difficult to block. Bosa worked with the second team and the starters on third down. He was all smiles after practice and seems healthy. #49ers
— Chris Biderman (@ChrisBiderman) July 27, 2019
A reporter told defensive coordinator Robert Saleh of Staley's comments about Bosa and asked if he could elaborate on what Staley might have meant about Bosa's hips.
"Bosa wins in close quarters," Saleh responded. "He wants you close to him, as close as possible. And then he just has an ability to flip his hips, get skinny, all in close quarters where most people need space so they can knock arms down and create angles for themselves."
Saleh wants to make sure Bosa knows that the NFL is an always-evolving game and he's going to have to continue perfecting his craft.
"On the flip side, though, he's going to have to figure out how to win in space as a rookie," Saleh continued. "I guess he got Joe a couple of times today but Joe is a seasoned vet and he's going to find out very quickly how O-linemen adjust in this league tomorrow when Joe stalemates him.
"I know it's exciting for him, but he's still just a bobblehead running around until we get pads on (which happens on Monday). He'll get a chance tomorrow to see his game and see where it evolves with Joe making his adjustments.
"But Bosa, he's got a chance to be great, but he's got to take every day and just understand that he's got to evolve his game or else they'll figure it out real quick."