The highly anticipated debut of rookie linebacker Reuben Foster was short-lived after he suffered a high-ankle sprain in the first quarter of Week 1, opening the door for NaVorro Bowman to see more time on the field.
However, Foster is expected to play as early as this Sunday against the Washington Redskins and Matt Maiocco told Murph & Mac on Thursday morning that his return begins to close the door on Bowman’s playing time.
“If Reuben Foster is out there, running around like the Reuben Foster we saw in the exhibition season and the first 11 plays of the season opener, I just don’t see a really significant role for NaVorro on third downs,” Maiocco said.
In the short time Foster played against the Panthers, he led the 49ers with three tackles. Although Foster appeared to be back to his normal self when he practiced for the first time on Wednesday, the days leading up to Sunday will determine if he will be put into the game.
More video of Reuben Foster’s return to #49ers practice. Didn’t look hampered by injury at all pic.twitter.com/DiOw1dwagy
— Sam Hustis (@SamHustis) October 11, 2017
“I think there’s a pretty good chance, it depends on how he [Eric Reid] and Reuben Foster make it through the next two days of practice, but I think there’s a pretty good chance that those two guys will be on the field,” Maiocco said.
As for Bowman, he began the season in hot water with the 49ers after the comments he made to Eric Branch during the preseason.
“I don’t know if he’s handling it all that well, when you’re talking about that Eric Branch interview that Eric had with NaVorro. Those aren’t the kind of things that the organization wanted to see. I think they wanted to see more of a team-first guy in his public comments,” Maiocco said. “Since then, I think he’s said all the right things and talking about building and trying to be a good influence on the players, but I think those comments weren’t exactly viewed in positive terms by people in the organization. So I don’t know where this is going.”
Since then, Bowman changed his tone, but fell right back into it when he complained about his lack of playing time against the Indianapolis Colts. Bowman managed to make five tackles while being rotated out periodically throughout the game.
“NaVorro doesn’t see it, that it’s better for him to be on the sideline during the game. He just doesn’t see that, but I think a lot of people do see that,” Maiocco said. “So I think, with NaVorro, I don’t think NaVorro sees a lot of what a lot of other people see, which is that he’s clearly lost a step and that he’s not the same player.”
Not to mention, the 49ers are in the middle of a transition that they hope will lead them to success in the near future. Bowman’s contract will play role in his future with the 49ers and how he fits into their rebuilding plans, if at all.
“When you just look at the contract situation, where he’s scheduled to make $9.5 million next season, I just don’t see any scenario short of him taking a dramatic pay cut that would bring him back to the 49ers next season,” Maiocco said.
As the 49ers work to improve build a younger core on their roster, Bowman’s time in San Francisco might be coming to an end after seven years in the organization.
“It would have been tough for him not to find a role, as it would have been tough for the 49ers to keep a healthy Reuben Foster off the field,” Maiocco said. “This is a time where the 49ers are going through a transition, whether its NaVorro Bowman, whether its Eric Reid, who doesn’t have a contract for next year and you see Jaquiski Tart play at a very high level.”
To listen to the full interview check out the podcast below, and skip to 3:53 for Maiocco on the Bowman and Foster.