Maybe Peter King's opinion would have changed had he been present for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's five-interception practice on Wednesday. Maybe not.
The NBC Sports writer has been high on the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, ranked them at No. 7 in his May power rankings, and stated in July that he expects the Kyle Shanahan-led squad to make the playoffs should quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo stay healthy.
Nothing King saw during his visit to practice earlier this week changed those opinions, he said. There was, however, one concern.
"The only thing that is slightly worrisome to me is that Nick Bosa had his leg caved in (a bit of an exaggeration) during one practice," King explained. "He's got a high-ankle sprain. He may miss the first, I don't know, two games of the season. It will be close. If he plays early on, it probably won't be as impactful as he would have been totally healthy."
The 49ers hope to have Bosa available for Week 1 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but will do what is best for his recovery. The rookie defensive end finally has the protective boot off his foot and was seen on Wednesday doing some light conditioning work with team trainers. That is a good sign.
King notes that the depth along the defensive front will allow the 49ers to finally put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Shanahan stated on Tuesday that one focus when he and general manager John Lynch arrived in San Francisco was to build a top-ranked defense. He believes San Francisco is close.
King also discussed the 49ers' success being dependent on Garoppolo's health.
"Obviously, if he slips on a banana peel in September, the 49ers are going to be a six-win team, if that," King said. "So clearly, I think the 49ers are looking at their team, their season, their offense, certainly, and saying, 'As Jimmy Garoppolo goes, so goes the rest of the team.'"
Who stood out to King during the practice he observed? That would be rookie wide receiver Jalen Hurd.
"He looks like — not a third-round rookie — he looks like a third-year veteran," King said. "Very, very impressive, competitive, fights for the ball, fights for every yard. I think he's going to have an impact on this San Francisco offense this year."
You can listen to what King had to say about the 49ers below.
You can listen to King's conversation with Shanahan below.
You can listen to King's conversation with Garoppolo below.
