As the San Francisco 49ers embark on another offseason, there are plenty of former Niners available in free agency.
Believe it or not, a reunion with San Francisco makes sense for both sides with several of these players.
8 former 49ers who will be available in free agency
The 49ers have an interesting offseason ahead of them. They have a number of impending free agents, and with the salary cap being what it is, it seems highly unlikely that they are going to be able to bring everybody back.
Plus, once you add in the fact that signing Brandon Aiyuk to a contract extension will rank among the highest priorities for the team, assuming they do not trade him, it makes it even more difficult to keep all of the pieces that made the 2023 Niners such a great team.
Thankfully, their core will remain intact going into next season. All of the leaders and indispensable players on both offense and defense are signed for next year, so there is still a good chance the 49ers will be NFC contenders next season if they stay healthy and those key players produce at their potential.
However, to win a championship you need to be a well-rounded team and you need to have depth. The Niners have been bitten by the injury bug enough to know how essential it is to have players you can trust when your starters go down with an injury.
That is why free agency will be so important for the team this offseason. There are a number of holes and areas on the roster in which they can improve. It could make a lot of sense for San Francisco to bring in one or two familiar faces who are familiar with the system on both offense and defense.
Let's take a look at eight former Niners who will be available in free agency and examine which ones could potentially be candidates to return to the team.
Former 49ers available in free agency: CB Emmanuel Moseley
Many 49ers fans will remember cornerback Emmanuel Moseley. He was a key contributor for the team from 2019 through 2022. On teams where the secondary was always seen as a weakness, he stood out as a solid cornerback who could hold his own against opposing receivers.
However, Moseley also had an unfortunate injury history. He suffered a high-ankle sprain in the 2021 season that limited him but he was able to return for the postseason. His 49ers career ended in 2022 when he tore his ACL early in the year.
He signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency last offseason, but unfortunately, he tore his ACL yet again. It was really unfortunate to see Moseley's seasons end before they really began these last two years.
We do not know how Moseley will look coming off two ACL tears, but the Niners may be willing to take a shot on him especially since their cornerback situation is questionable outside of Charvarius Ward and Deomodore Lenoir.
Moseley could be brought in to compete with Ambry Thomas for that boundary cornerback spot. He knows the defense the 49ers run, has proven he can play well, and may be had at a discounted price due to his injury history.
A 49ers-Moseley reunion could make a lot of sense for both sides this offseason.
Now, sticking with the secondary, this former 49er cornerback could also potentially rejoin the team.
Former 49ers available in free agency: CB K'Waun Williams
Another cornerback who played well during his time in San Francisco is nickel cornerback K'Waun Williams. The veteran cornerback played for the Niners from 2017 through 2021 and did a solid job in the nickel role.
2019 was probably his best year for the team as he recorded 51 tackles and had two interceptions in 15 games.
He departed the team in free agency after the 2021 season and joined the Denver Broncos. Much like Moseley, injuries have hampered him in his post-49er career. He played 14 games for the Broncos in 2022, but was unable to play at all in 2023 due to a knee injury.
With the struggles that Isaiah Oliver faced playing nickel that ultimately got him benched in favor of Lenoir, the 49ers could bring back Williams on a cheaper deal if they decide to cut Oliver.
If the team brings back Williams to play nickel, they could move Lenoir back to the boundary corner position where he would be an upgrade over Thomas.
There is one other former 49er cornerback available in free agency, but it would be very surprising to see him don a 49ers uniform again.
Former 49ers available in free agency: CB Ahkello Witherspoon
Former 49ers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon had an inconsistent tenure with the team. He was drafted by the Niners in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, but he never quite lived up to expectations.
Most fans will remember the fact that he got benched in favor of Moseley during the 2019 playoff run and that the 49ers were much better off after making that decision. Witherspoon was still on the team in 2020 and showed some positive signs, but he left in free agency after that year.
After a few decent years with the Pittsburgh Steelers where he was not on the field a ton, he signed with the Los Angeles Rams last season and had his best season as a pro. He started all 17 games and recorded three interceptions along with 51 tackles.
This could set him up to get a relatively expensive contract in free agency, and one the 49ers probably do not want to give him. Plus, Kyle Shanahan likely has more poor memories than good ones of Witherspoon on San Francisco, so a reunion seems unlikely.
Sticking with the defense, this former 49er linebacker was also a member of the team's 2019 playoff run.
Former 49ers available in free agency: LB Kwon Alexander
Former 49ers linebacker Kwon Alexander was not on the team for a long time. Prior to the 2019 season, he signed a four-year, $54 million deal with San Francisco.
He ended up only playing in 17 games for the 49ers over the course of two seasons before being traded to the New Orleans Saints.
He did a solid job for the team in 2019 even though a torn pectoral kept him out for half of the regular season. He was able to return in the postseason, but in his absence another linebacker emerged: Dre Greenlaw.
Greenlaw was a rookie at the time and filled in for the injured Alexander. He did a fantastic job and proved that he could join Fred Warner as the future at the linebacker position. Plus, he had one of the most consequential regular season tackles in NFL history when he stopped the Seattle Seahawks in their tracks at the goal line and secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the 49ers.
Of course, with Greenlaw's tragic injury in the Super Bowl, the 49ers may now be in the market for a linebacker especially with their other linebackers outside of Fred Warner being free agents.
Alexander is coming off a season-ending Achilles tear just like Greenlaw. While Alexander's injury occurred in November so he has had longer to recover, the 49ers may want a guy who is not coming off such a serious injury to fill in for Greenlaw.
That brings us to the next former 49er on the list who makes a lot of sense as a player the team could reunite with.
Former 49ers available in free agency: LB Azeez Al-Shaair
Former 49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair may make the most sense to bring back into the fold. Coming off of his best season as a pro with the Tennessee Titans where he was able to shine outside of the shadow of Warner and Greenlaw, he would be the ideal replacement for Greenlaw as he tries to get healthy.
Al-Shaair knows the system and he will have the confidence of knowing that he can be a team's No. 1 linebacker playing alongside the All-Pro, Warner. Plus, Al-Shaair still has a lot of love for both Greenlaw and Warner as evidenced by him taking part in their pregame ritual in the playoff game against the Green Bay Packers even though he was no longer on the team.
The only thing that may prevent a reunion is price. Al-Shaair made $5 million last year and may command even more this year after he had a great season in which he had the fifth most tackles of any player in the league.
He may also want to go to a team where he will be the undisputed No. 1 linebacker and will not have to be in the shadow of Warner or see a limited role if Greenlaw gets healthy and is able to return.
But if the 49ers can work something out and land Al-Shaair in free agency, it may be a huge move that could solidify their defense next season.
Now we will turn to the offense where there are also some familiar faces who will be free agents,
Former 49ers available in free agency: WR Kendrick Bourne
Another former 49er who would make a good deal of sense to bring back is wide receiver Kendrick Bourne. Bourne had a number of solid seasons with the 49ers and has a fun, energetic style of play that would be welcomed back into the locker room.
Bourne was signed as an undrafted free agent in 2017 and proved to be a great signing for the team. He was never a top wide receiver for the team, but he was a solid third or fourth option and accumulated some respectable stats while in San Francisco. In four seasons with the 49ers, Bourne had 11 receiving touchdowns and had over 1,700 receiving yards.
After 2020, he joined the New England Patriots where he has continued his solid career. Over three seasons he has 10 touchdown catches and over 1,600 receiving yards.
However, he has recently opened up about how he felt the Patriots' locker room could be "toxic" at times. Bourne's season ended last year with a torn ACL.
After playing on a Patriots team that did not have much success while he was there, perhaps he is thirsting for a shot at playing for a contender that does not have a reputation for toxicity. What better place to do that than with the team where you established yourself as a solid NFL player?
Plus, with Jauan Jennings, Chris Conley, and Ray Ray McCloud all being free agents, the Niners may be in the market for a 3rd receiver that they can trust. He knows the offensive system and would be a good candidate to return to the 49ers.
Now to another former offensive player who spent a good amount of time with the 49ers before joining the Patriots.
Former 49ers available in free agency: RT Trent Brown
Trent Brown was inherited by the Shanahan regime before the team eventually traded him in 2018. He played right tackle for the 49ers for several years and did a serviceable job. The 49ers ended up replacing him with Mike McGlinchey who departed in free agency after last offseason.
The 49ers went with Colton McKivitz at right tackle last season who did alright, but it was pretty evident that outside of Trent Williams there were no real stand out performers on the offensive line of the 49ers.
If the 49ers want to improve their offensive line, they may look at Brown as an option. However, his injury history may give them some reservations. It seems more likely that the 49ers will try to improve their offensive line through the draft.
Finally, we turn to a former 49er that many fans would like to forget.
Former 49ers available in free agency: QB Josh Johnson
The reason I say that most 49ers fans would like to forget Josh Johnson is not through any fault of his own. He was thrust into an impossible situation in last year's NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia Eagles when Brock Purdy went down and did his best before having to leave the game with a concussion.
The name simply conjures the memories from that game when fans felt helpless watching their favorite team compete for a chance to reach the Super Bowl without having a guy who could throw the ball.
Johnson has incredibly had four separate stints with the 49ers in his career. He is the ultimate definition of a journeyman. It seems highly unlikely that the 37-year-old will get a fifth stint.
Even though both Sam Darnold and Brandon Allen are going to be free agents, the 49ers likely want to have a better option at back up than Johnson. Of course, they are hoping Brock Purdy will be able to play in every game, but it is the NFL and quarterback injuries happen. Needless to say that if the 49ers can't retain either Darnold or Allen, Johnson will not be the first call they make.
So there you have it. 8 former 49ers who are going to be available in free agency. A reunion may make sense for both sides when it comes to the likes of Moseley, Williams, Al-Shaair, and Bourne so we will have to see if any of these former Niners are destined to don the red and gold again next season.