To put Nick Bosa on their initial 53-man roster, the 49ers needed to have him signed to a contract extension by the 4 p.m. ET deadline for roster cuts.

They did not achieve that ambition and as such Bosa's holdout has entered a stage the Niners hoped it would never a reach.

Instead of being on the roster in his familiar position as a starting defensive end, Bosa retained a 'reserve/did not report' designation, with no end to the impasse between the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and the 49ers in sight.

Speaking on 'The Pat McAfee Show', NFL Media's Ian Rapoport indicated the Niners and Bosa are a long way from the precipice of an agreement.

"They're not there yet, and I don't get the sense they're close at all, so I don't get the sense that anything is imminent. But at least they're — it sounds like there's been some level of conversation, I guess, as there should be. It's like, there's been at least some touching base. They are not there yet, and I know this probably doesn't make anyone feel better, but there still is a lot of time. Bosa, I'm sure, keeps himself in unbelievable shape. I don't think he's going to need a lot of [an] acclimation period, you know. So even if he shows up five days from now, I'm sure he'll be ready for the season."

The expectation remains the same, that Bosa and the 49ers will reach a resolution that will make him the highest-paid edge rusher, if not the highest-paid defender, in NFL history.

But with Bosa still listed as 'did not report' under two weeks out from the regular season, there must now be genuine fear that the 2019 second overall pick may not be signed in time for Week 1 or that he won't be at his best for the opener with the Steelers in Pittsburgh.

It's not quite the nightmare scenario for the Niners, but heading into gameweek without him would be close. Bosa could be pivotal to a tough road game that has a good chance of turning into a defensive struggle, and the distraction of having his holdout hanging over their heads is the last thing the 49ers need before a season opener.

At a certain point, the looming possibility of Bosa missing time has to force the two sides to the table to thrash out a deal. Bosa is a special player who would bet on himself to perform against any team on short notice but, if a deal doesn't happen this week, the odds of having a major impact against the Steelers will diminish.

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