The San Francisco began the 2014 season without one of their top defenders and one of the best inside linebackers in the NFL as NaVorro Bowman recovers from his ACL injury suffered in the NFC Championship Game last year, but you’d be never know it based on how well the team looked in the opener.
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Bowman is on the physically unable to perform list so he must sit out the first six games before being eligible to return, but earlier reports suggested he would not return until Week 9. According to Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee, the “smart money” is on Bowman returning from his the ACL injury after the team’s bye in Week 8.
However, that could be a bit conservative as Bowman moved to the next phase of his rehab where he is now sprinting and catching the eye of 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.
“I must admit there’s times when I look out of my peripheral vision and see them doing their workouts on the turf over there,” coach Jim Harbaugh said on Friday, per the team’s official website. “It looked like he was moving pretty good, so that’s very positive.”
Certainly positive to have him progressing through his rehab and moving pretty good and not experiencing any discomfort or setbacks. The Week 9 date will likely remain the target date for the veteran linebacker, but if he continues to accelerate his rehab, Bowman will be pushing the trainers and coaches to put him out there earlier as he’s champing at the bit to get back on the field.