49ers activate DL Mykel Williams (knee) from PUP

Williams is still recovering from an ACL tear from last November. The 49ers will start him out on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, meaning the second-year pass rusher will miss at least the first four games of the season. Without the 2025 first-round pick in the pass-rush rotation to start the year, the 49ers will rely on Keion White to try and fill the void.

This is unfortunate. The second-year pass rusher seemingly had a chance to play right away, but the team is apparently adjusting its expectations. Williams, 22, suffered a season-ending ACL tear in November. Whenever he makes it back, he will provide a decent boost to the 49ers’ defensive line.

Williams suffered a torn ACL in Week 9 last season and was seen doing resistance bands workouts at the team’s facilities last month. The second-year pass rusher totaled 11 tackles, four TFLs, and one sack in his rookie season before going down, and is one of a handful of players the Niners are hoping to have back on the defensive side of the ball. Veteran pass rusher Nick Bosa (knee), who also suffered a torn ACL last season, is also working his way back to the field and said he is “pretty far along” in his recovery. If either player is unable to go by the start of camp, they will likely be added to the PUP list with a chance to be activated when they clear all medical and conditioning tests.

Multiple league sources tell Bonsignore that the Raiders would revisit the idea of trading Crosby away “if the right offer was made.” According to Bonsignore’s sources, the 49ers could make a play for him if they so desire. The Raiders nearly traded Crosby to the Ravens earlier this offseason, but the Ravens cancelled the deal due to concerns over a “degenerative issue” in his knee. Per Bonsignore, if Crosby “returns to terrorizing Raiders’ practices during training camp, he’ll put all concerns to rest,” and “the Raiders will be flooded with calls from interested teams.” The 49ers hope to make a Super Bowl run this season. Adding Crosby to their pass rush makes sense. Williams, the 49ers’ EDGE in reference, is currently recovering from a torn ACL and it is unclear whether he will be able to play in Week 1. At 22 years old, he is more of a long-term option anyway, and the Raiders are currently rebuilding. This framework is interesting and could work well for both sides. Stay tuned.

Fellow EDGE Nick Bosa (also knee, also ACL), who suffered his injury six weeks earlier, is expected back for Week 1. It sounds like Williams is in more doubt. Based on that, it’s certainly possible the second-year EDGE player starts training camp on the PUP list. 49ers beats saw Williams doing side-to-side movements and working with resistance bands at rookie minicamp, so he’s certainly active, but he still has several hurdles to clear in his rehab before a return is on the table.

Roughly two months ago, 49ers general manager John Lynch told reporters that both players were expected to return sometime “around” training camp, so today’s report confirms that they generally remain on track. We do not yet know when they are expected to be full-go, though, so things are still a little fluid. Bosa, 28, suffered a torn ACL on September 21st. Williams, 21, reportedly hyperextended his knee on August 7th and later tore his ACL as well on November 2nd.

The news comes straight from 49ers general manager John Lynch, though the 49ers’ injury updates have been less than reliable over the past 18 months. Bosa, 28, tore an ACL on September 21. Williams, a 21-year-old first-round rookie, tore his on November 2. The 49ers are a candidate to bring in more EDGE depth in the draft or late free agency given how much injury uncertainty they’ll carry there in 2026.

It sounds like Williams, who tore his ACL in early November, should be ready for the start of the season based on that timeline. He’ll be penciled in next to fellow injury returner Nick Bosa as the 49ers two starting EDGE players next year. Williams managed one sack in nine starts during his rookie season, adding 20 tackles.

This was the fear following Sunday’s loss. San Francisco loses yet another young EDGE player as they try to piece together some pass rush in the absence of Nick Bosa. Williams finishes the year with a 53.9 PFF grade, but flashed some impressive tools despite not putting it all together. He should be penciled in as a 2026 starter in the second year of his rookie deal assuming rehab goes well.

Bosa went down in the first half and left to be evaluated by the medical staff. He was spotted giving a fan a thumbs-down before heading for the locker room. The team initially listed him as questionable to return but ruled him out after halftime. Fellow 49ers EDGE Mykel Williams left with a wrist injury but returned after a brief stay on the sidelines.