The Los Angeles Chargers first-round pick, wide receiver Mike Williams, said that he plans to make his season debut this week. If he does play it will be for a match-up against the division rival Oakland Raiders. Also, the San Francisco 49ers parted ways with veteran NaVorro Bowman, as it appears his replacement is finally healthy.

Williams says he plans to play

Rookie wide receiver Mike Williams told reporters yesterday that he expects to make his debut this Sunday. The Clemson product said, “I'm excited to get out there with my teammates for the first time six games in.” He has been out since May after suffering a herniated disk in his lower back.

The receiver participated in a fully padded practice on Thursday, his first of the season. He was limited in practice yesterday and has been listed as questionable by the team. With Keenan Allen, Tyrell Williams, Travis Benjamin and Dontrelle Inman the Chargers have a deep receiving core, so it is unknown how much the rookie will play.

49ers move on from Bowman

The San Francisco 49ers announced that they are releasing veteran linebacker, NaVorro Bowman. General Manager John Lynch announced the move, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the team had been trying to move him all week. However, given the 29-year-old's injury history and his base salary of $6.75 million trading him proved an impossible venture.

The 49ers drafted Bowman in the third-round out of Penn State in 2010. In eight seasons with the team, he played in 89 games, starting 74 of them. He came off of the bench his rookie season but started after that following the departure of Takeo Spikes.

Bowman tore his ACL and MCL in the 2013 NFC Championship game and missed the entire 2014 season.

He came back in 2015 playing like his old self but would tear his Achilles in week four of the 2016 campaign, missing the rest of that year.

According to Pro Football Reference, he has recorded 708 total tackles, 12.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, four interceptions and one defensive touchdown. Bowman has been selected to three Pro Bowls and is a four-time First-Team All-Pro.

Bowman's replacement almost healthy

With Bowman gone, the 49ers basically discarded the last major piece of their team that reached Super Bowl XLVII. Now, they can go full steam ahead with plugging rookie Reuben Foster in as the team's anchor on defense. Foster was drafted with the 31st pick in the first round out of Alabama.

He suffered a high ankle sprain in the team's season-opening loss to the Carolina Panthers. SFGate.com's Eric Branch reported that head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested Foster could be eased back into action on Sunday. This Wednesday was the first time that he has practiced since the injury.
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