With Nick Bosa out longer than expected, 49ers may not have enough healthy players for roster spots on Sunday

49ers defensive end Nick Bosa pulled a calf muscle in practice on the Thursday before Week 3. Even though the team didn’t place Bosa on injured reserve, he has now missed four games. He’ll miss his fifth on Sunday at Atlanta.

On Friday, coach Kyle Shanahan was asked about remarks from Bosa indicating certainty he’d return for the Week 7 game against the Falcons and optimism he’d be back for Week 6 against the Commanders.

“ I just think he was a little too optimistic, especially for Bosa because he’s pretty accurate,” Shanahan told reporters. “He doesn’t say stuff like that unless it’s accurate. I just think it surprised him. He worked out, after he said that to you guys, and the next day he was just a little sore, which surprised all of us. That wasn’t a great sign, especially going to play on turf and stuff this week, so I think it was more he was just a little too optimistic.”

Bosa is just one of a long list of injured 49ers players. Shanahan acknowledged on Friday that the 49ers may not have 48 players healthy enough to dress for the game. Has that ever happened to him before?

“No, I don’t think so,” Shanahan said. “I don’t think here.