The San Francisco 49ers enter a pivotal offseason with needs on both sides of the ball. However, the most pressing issue could be their lack of a pass rush.
Look no further than the NFC West rival Seattle Seahawks, AKA the Super Bowl LX champions. They showed how impactful high-level quarterback disruption is, which culminated in them hoisting the Lombardi Trophy; in the Niners' house, no less. San Francisco would be wise to take note.
With that in mind, FOX Sports' Greg Auman predicts the 49ers to sign their star edge rusher, Nick Bosa's older brother, Joey Bosa, this offseason.
NFL reporter predicts Nick Bosa and Joey Bosa 49ers family reunion
This isn't the first time Joey, who's set to become an unrestricted free agent in March, has been matched with San Francisco. It probably won't be the last either, because the family ties make connecting the dots all too easy. Yet, the idea of ring-chasing and helping address an area of weakness alongside Nick only adds to the appeal, as Auman expressed:
"With two playoff wins in 10 years in the league, might [Joey Bosa] consider taking less to join his brother Nick with the 49ers and try to make a meaningful postseason push?" Auman wrote.
No team had fewer sacks than the 49ers this season (20). They were 30th in quarterback knockdown (6.5 percent) and pressure rate (16.7 percent). In other words, opposing passers were under minimal duress when facing San Francisco.
Having Nick, who suffered a torn ACL in September, back in the fold should certainly help matters. The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year is a one-man wrecking crew who single-handedly changes the complexion of the game for the Niners and their foes. 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams went down with the same injury in November and will also provide a boost, albeit not to the same degree.
Nevertheless, as the 49ers learned the hard way last (and seemingly every season), there's no such thing as too much depth.
That's where Joey comes in.
The 2016 No. 3 overall pick is no longer the near-every-down perennial Pro Bowler he once was, but can certainly be a difference-making rotational piece.
Joey spent the 2025 campaign with the Buffalo Bills and was highly effective. He amassed 29 tackles (nine for loss), 16 quarterback hits, five sacks, two pass deflections and an NFL-best five forced fumbles across 15 games. His efforts slotted him in as Pro Football Focus' 17th-highest-graded edge defender out of 115 qualified options.