49ers' Bosa shows progress in recovery from ACL injury

San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa appears to be on track to return to the field in 2021.

The star edge rusher played in just two games last season before suffering a torn ACL, costing him the remainder of his 2020 campaign.

"... It sounds like Bosa is going to be ready and expected to contribute mightily for this 49ers team," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com.

The 2019 draft's second-overall pick exploded out of the gate as a rookie, finishing the regular season with 47 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and one interception. Bosa added 15 tackles, four sacks, and three tackles for loss during San Francisco's Super Bowl LIV run.

Bosa's impressive production earned him 2019 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honors and a Pro Bowl nod.

The 23-year-old is now making positive strides in his recovery nearly seven months removed from the injury.

Bosa was among the many 49ers players who missed significant time during last year's injury-plagued campaign.

With San Fran's sack totals dropping from 48 in 2019 to 30 in 2020, the NFC West club finished dead last in the division just a year after making it to the Super Bowl.

"If you've listened to some of the Zoom interviews from the 49ers players who have signed over the course of the last couple weeks and free agency, Bosa has represented a lot of optimism for them," Rapoport reported.

Fellow edge rushers Dee Ford and Jordan Willis are among key signings on the defensive line that should help the Niners reverse their fortunes from a season ago.

With Bosa on the mend, San Francisco seems poised to make last year an aberration.