The San Francisco 49ers are hoping to kick off the 2023-24 NFL season on a high note, although that may depend on how well coach Kyle Shanahan can utilize his current manpower.

Their defense will be critical, and the fact that defensive end Nick Bosa continues to hold out raises questions about the Niners' upcoming campaign.

The 25-year-old pass rusher is pushing for a long-term deal with the San Francisco 49ers, but the two sides are still far apart in getting a new deal done, NFL Insider Ian Rapoport reported on the NFL Total Access Show.

Regardless, Shanahan and Niners general manager John Lynch remain confident they can strike a new deal with Bosa. The only question now is when.

Huge defensive void for the Niners

With that said, the Niners may need to adjust defensively for the coming NFL season.

Niners safety Talanoa Hufanga admitted it would be better if the 25-year-old Bosa would be around once the San Francisco opens their season against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 1.

But with Nick Bosa's contracts hardly moving, the 23-year-old bats that they have to adjust and make do with their available personnel.

"For us, we've just got to prepare as if he's not going to be here. Obviously, that's an upper-echelon question; that's a front-office question. And so, for me, I don't know if I can answer anything else on that, but once he's here, we'd love to have him," Hufanga said to reporters on their situation and the possibility of being without the best defensive player in the NFL at the moment.