For linebacker NaVorro Bowman’s injured knee, the 49ers plan to let the MCL heal before repairing the ACL surgically.
On Tuesday, coach Jim Harbaugh said that the MCL may still need to be repaired via surgery.
“We’ll see how MCL heals in the next two to three weeks,” Harbaugh told reporters. “But, that’s not known if that has to be fixed or not. The fact of fixing the ACL is what we know.”
The problem, as it relates to getting Bowman ready for the 2014 season, is that delaying the ACL surgery by two or three weeks also delays the recovery process.
Harbaugh said he doesn’t know whether Bowman will be ready for Week One. At a minimum, he’ll miss the offseason program, and he’ll likely still be rehabbing during training camp and the much of the preseason.