The San Francisco 49ers addressed one of their two biggest roster needs via free agency, grabbing wide receiver Mike Evans on an affordable three-year deal.
Yet the Niners still have yet to reinforce their defensive line, specifically the pass rush, which is a glaring need after recording a league-low 20 sacks last season. While defensive end Trey Hendrickson might have been the ideal target, he's now off to the Baltimore Ravens, who originally were thought to be trading for the Las Vegas Raiders' Maxx Crosby but ultimately backed out.
Crosby might still be an option, but there's another target whom San Francisco can hone in on at a significantly lower cost.
And it'd be a move another currently rostered 49ers defender would absolutely love.
49ers can pivot to Joey Bosa to bolster their lackluster pass rush
While the bulk of the NFL world remained focused on both Hendrickson and Crosby, veteran defensive end Joey Bosa remains unsigned after his lone year with the Buffalo Bills, and it doesn't seem as if he's generating a ton of interest in the opening wave of free-agent moves.
At 30 years old, the elder Bosa brother is trending toward being more of a situational pass-rusher, but it isn't as if the Niners lack that need to supplement their own best pass-rusher, Nick Bosa.
Reuniting the Bosas in a San Francisco uniform isn't anything new, and Joey was still productive in 2025, notching five sacks and five forced fumbles over 15 games. More importantly, his injury reputation seems to have diminished after missing significant time during his Los Angeles Chargers days in 2022 and 2023.
And, as the No. 35 overall player on FanSided's top-110 free-agent list, the 49ers would be getting an impact player at a fraction of the cost associated with either Hendrickson or Crosby.
Digging a little deeper, adding Bosa wouldn't take away from the Niners' developmental plans for their top pick from the 2025 draft, Mykel Williams, who's already a quality run stopper but needs to hone his pass-rushing abilities. With Bosa, who'd likely be a third-down specialist with Williams pivoting inside, San Francisco's D-line would get the reinforcement it desperately needs.
Plus, a Bosa Bros. feature in the Bay Area would be intriguing enough, too.