NFL Rankings: 10 Best Linebackers in the League
By Phil Watson
player. 42. . . San Francisco 49ers. NaVorro Bowman. 6
NaVorro Bowman won’t play until at least midseason after he opened training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list.
Bowman sustained a torn ACL in January during the NFC Championship. Coach Jim Harbaugh said in February he was hopeful Bowman could be back around midseason and nothing has changed that assessment.
“You make a prediction and that’s basically based on these guys, these athletes, these super-fit, almost super-human the way the rehabilitate themselves, and they come back from injury, it’s not the normal guy by any means,” Harbaugh said last month. “NaVorro is a cream of the crop of the athletes, professional athletes on a football team.
“So, hard to say where it’s going to fall. My prediction would be I’ve seen other guys … I’m very hopeful. Very optimistic. Knowing NaVorro the way I do, nothing would surprise me if it’s sooner than that. I would not be surprised when you’re talking about NaVorro.”
Bowman was an All-Pro for the third straight season in 2013 and was picked for his second Pro Bowl after finishing with 145 tackles, five sacks, eight pass breakups, four forced fumbles and two interceptions.
He has had at least 143 tackles in all three of his seasons as a starter—all three of which ended with him being voted to the All-Pro team.
He was a third-round pick out of Penn State in 2010, so it’s safe to say he’s overachieved.