The San Francisco 49ers are set to face off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1, and they'll be doing so with star pass-rusher Nick Bosa by their side, who signed a massive five-year, $170 million extension earlier this week.
Following the news breaking on Wednesday, head coach Kyle Shanahan alluded to Bosa playing on Sunday, joking that only a "beer belly" would keep him out of Week 1.
Bosa was limited on Thursday before participating on Friday with the team, marking the first time he was in the 49ers' building all offseason.
Bosa is a unique talent that prepares as hard as any player in the league. But, how much will he truly play in Week 1?
FOX's Jay Glazer has learned that the 49ers defensive end will be limited in Week 1, playing only 30-40 snaps, although Bosa will likely push for more.
"The plan right now is 30-40 snaps, but it's interesting what Kyle Shanahan did. He went and actually looked at the guy across the field: T.J. Watt, who's playing for the Steelers today. Two years ago, went through the same thing. He came back in that first game, played the whole game, 69 snaps, but then he got hurt the next game, hurt his groin and missed the third game [of the 2021 NFL season]. That's why they want to limit [Bosa] today. But, you know Bosa's going to try and push to play the entire game."
When it comes to Bosa, while he clearly elevates the team's play at defensive end, the 49ers are looking to get the most out of the "now" and "later" in 2023, getting their defensive end out there, while also ensuring his health as he ramps up.