Why Nick Bosa had to Show up to 49ers Voluntary OTAs

Nick Bosa needed to be there when the 49ers opened up OTAs despite it being voluntary. Here is why.

Jan 28, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Nick Bosa (97) is introduced before the NFC Championship football game against the Detroit Lions at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Voluntary organized team activities (OTAs) kicked off for the San Francisco 49ers this week.

Since they are voluntary some starters on the team were not in attendance. Christian McCaffrey is the most notable starter absent. However, it looks as if McCaffrey switched roles this year with Nick Bosa.

For the first time in years, Bosa is attending and participating at OTAs with the 49ers. Usually he remains in Florida to stick to his own regiment, but decided to switch it up for once. It's good that Bosa is there with the team. He's already made an incredible impact to his team so far.

"You could tell it means something to him," said Brock Purdy on Bosa's prescence at OTAs. "To show up phase three, practicing on the field, it's pretty special. For all of us to see that, it's like ‘All right, if Bosa is taking it serious, then we all should.’"

Bosa needed to be at OTAs for the 49ers despite it being voluntary. That is because the 49ers made him the highest paid defensive player in the league back in September.

Once that occurred, the whole "voluntary" tag to the OTAs was no longer concrete. He had to be there. The 49ers just cashed him out, and part of that includes showing up to the handful of practices in May and June.

It is way different between him and McCaffrey who decided not to show up. McCaffrey wasn't just handed the keys to a Brinks truck like Bosa was recently. He also isn't and will never come close to the money that Bosa has acquired and will tally in his career.

So, the Florida workouts needed to come to an end with Bosa actually showing up. It's part of the deal when they paid him an enormous sum of money. There is no longer this suggestion of "voluntary" for these practices. The 49ers paid him and now he has to be the face of the franchise.