Nick Bosa will play against Rams in opener, defensive coordinator says

MELBOURNE, Australia - The mystery is solved.

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris told reporters ahead of Tuesday's practice at AAMI Park in Melbourne that defensive end Nick Bosa will play in the season-opener against the Los Angeles Rams .

"Oh, he's going out there," Morris said, after initially giving an unclear response and being asked to clarify in a follow-up question. "Whatever you want to say, he's going. He'll be there. We're not hiding that."

The announcement of Bosa's return ends more than a month-long saga since the 28-year-old began missing training camp practices. Bosa, who's coming off a torn right ACL, was dealing with lingering tendinitis from his recovery early in August.

Then, he suddenly returned for one practice last Wednesday, the morning of the 49ers' flight to Australia. After that practice, Bosa said his body felt great and that he was preparing to play.

"I'm just going to try and keep building, not get too up about it," Bosa said last Wednesday. "But it was a great day."

Yet Bosa wasn't present early on in Monday's practice, the 49ers' first one open to reporters in Melbourne. He was spotted in a video the 49ers' social media team posted of players entering the practice field. Bosa was sporting a baseball cap with his red jersey sleeves rolled up above his shoulders as he walked through the tunnel at AAMI Park.

"Nick Bosa is really easy," Morris said. "You watch this guy do it over a span, a long time in his career, been able to do it at different levels. … Bosa knows his body as well as anybody. He'll be prepared and ready to go as well as anybody."

A week ago, Bosa wasn't seen on the practice field Monday or Tuesday. He participated on Wednesday. It's possible that the Niners are using the same approach this week. But will Bosa be in game shape and ready to play against the Rams after participating in just one, or a small handful, of practices?