Joey Bosa is rumored to be on the 49ers' radar after being released by the Chargers, but there are obstacles in the way.
The San Francisco 49ers need defensive line help this offseason. They could get precisely that if they ink now-former Los Angeles Chargers defensive end Joey Bosa.
Bosa found himself released the Thursday prior to the start of the NFL new year, a cap-savings measure by the Bolts who are a year into the reign of head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Naturally, when taking into account his brotherly relationship with San Francisco's own star pass-rusher, Nick Bosa, the thought of the Niners quickly acquiring Joey Bosa to bookend the D-line with his brother makes a lot of sense.
Even NFL Network's Ian Rapoport suggested it:
The #Chargers star will have options — joining his brother Nick in SF is one of them. His release saved the Chargers $25M against the cap. https://t.co/5zeFo8Upye
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 6, 2025
However, it's not as smooth as simply signing the 2016 No. 3 overall draft pick.
In fact, there's more evidence to suggest San Francisco kindly passes on the opportunity, unless both of these two conditions are met.
49ers would sign Joey Bosa under 2 logical conditions
One of the biggest takeaways from the 49ers' offseason thus far is they are aiming to get both younger and cheaper, stemming from not only being the league's highest-spending team (not in terms of cap spend but actual dollars) and one of the NFL's oldest in 2024.
Numerous reports have suggested this, and even general manager John Lynch has confirmed as much when speaking from the NFL Combine last month.
The blockbuster trade of wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders is further evidence of this approach.
Bosa, who'll turn 30 years old before the 2025 regular season begins, doesn't exactly check the youth-movement box. Tack on a recent injury history, one that limited him to 14 regular-season games between 2022 and 2023, making him a high-priority free-agent target is a risky proposition.
However, the Niners may do it if both of the following conditions are met:
- Bosa agrees to a below-market contract.
- San Francisco signs him to a short-term deal.
The elder Bosa is coming off a contract that was worth an annual average of just over $20 million per year, a deal since surpassed by others, including that of Nick Bosa.
It's more than safe to say Joey Bosa wouldn't command that kind of money again at this stage of his career, but for San Francisco to bite, he'd likely have to accept a contract well below what he could receive elsewhere, perhaps not exceeding an annual average of $9 million.
On top of that, given the 49ers' efforts to get younger, committing to Bosa long term doesn't sound feasible either, meaning a one- or two-year contract might be the most he'd get from the red and gold.
Of course, the former Bolts star might jump at the chance to play alongside his brother, accepting a less-lucrative deal to simply enjoy some close family ties, even if it's only for a short term.
If not, a Bosa-Bosa bookend likely remains a pipedream.