Overview
- The 49ers flew to Melbourne on Wednesday with George Kittle and Nick Bosa on the team plane, a move the club says signals both players are expected to be available for the Sept. 10/11 opener.
- Kittle was activated off the PUP list on Aug. 23 and put together multiple positive practice days this week that convinced the team to include him on the trip.
- Bosa returned to team drills for the first time since early August while wearing a knee support sleeve, and the front office described a phased plan to ramp his work up for the opener after he battled tendinitis during camp.
- Several other veterans including Mike Evans and Kyle Juszczyk also practiced and traveled, while role players such as defensive end Sam Okuayinonu did not make the trip and remain questionable, underlining depth concerns.
- Having both stars available would immediately affect San Francisco’s pass rush and offense but also raises the realistic prospect of limited snap counts and careful medical oversight to protect long‑term availability over a 17‑game season.