49ers' NaVorro Bowman dominates in 1st extended preseason action

NaVorro Bowman hasn't missed a beat.

Despite being sidelined for all of last season after suffering a serious knee injury in the 2013 NFL Championship Game, and continuing his lengthy rehab process leading up to this year's training camp, the San Francisco 49ers linebacker is already recapturing his dominant form on the field.

Bowman played extended minutes during Saturday night's preseason game against the Denver Broncos, flying around the field on the defensive side of the ball to record nine tackles and two sacks in the first half alone.

The 49ers are coming off a disastrous offseason in which the team lost an unprecedented amount of star talent, but Bowman making a healthy return to form would undoubtedly ease the difficult transition ahead.

Bowman started every game for San Francisco in the three years prior to his injury, recording no less than 143 tackles each season and earning three consecutive first-team All-Pro honors.

His elite level of production was a key factor in the 49ers consistently fielding a top-five defense in both scoring and yards allowed over that span.