49ers' Fangio: Don't expect NaVorro Bowman on the field for a while
San Francisco 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman is eligible to being practicing with the team next week, but it doesn't sound like he's anywhere close to a return.
“Oh, I think at some point he will play,” 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told KNBR, via The Sacramento Bee, this week. “But right now it's still later than sooner. His procedure was done in February. It's not like he got hurt in the middle of the season last year.”
Bowman, a Defensive Player of the Year candidate in 2013, tore his ACL and MCL in the NFC Championship game in late January.
Speedy recoveries from major knee injuries by players like Adrian Peterson have raised the bar of fan expectations, but it sounds like the 49ers plan to be very cautious with their defensive stud.
Fangio said Bowman, who is eligible to be activated from the PUP list any time between Oct. 14 and Nov. 24, will need to practice for a few weeks before he plays in a game.
Patrick Willis and Michael Wilhoite are holding up just fine in the interiors of the 49ers' linebacking corps, giving the team the luxury of bringing Bowman along slowly.