While the San Francisco 49ers managed to stay healthier and return to the playoffs in 2025, there was one area where they struggled immensely. The 49ers had the fifth-fewest sacks among NFL teams last season. Naturally, 49ers general manager John Lynch, a former NFL defender himself, wants to make sure his team doesn’t struggle again.
After all, the 49ers boast one of the NFL’s best pass rushers in Nick Bosa, who won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022. But now it’s time to get Bosa some help. Last year’s attempt, selecting defensive lineman Mykel Williams in the first round, didn’t deliver immediate results. While Williams will continue to improve, the 49ers can’t afford to keep waiting on potential.
With the 49ers’ need for a pass rusher well-known, Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer was recently asked whether San Francisco would consider signing Joey Bosa, Nick’s older brother. Breer thinks it’s a possibility.
“Yeah, I think Bosa might make sense as a summer signing for the 49ers,” Breer said. “For now, though, they may want to take a look at the younger players on the roster, like third-round pick Romello Height, and give them the reps. You may also want to let Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams’s rehab from ACL injuries play out a little longer, so you’re informed on the role the older Bosa might have in the defense. But I don’t mind the idea. Joey Bosa was good for Buffalo in 2025.”
Somehow, Bosa still remains available, and this isn’t the first time he’s been linked to San Francisco. The same situation played itself out last year, but Bosa ended up signing with the Bills instead, where he recorded five sacks across 15 starts.
Set to turn 31 this summer, Bosa may appreciate both the chance to team up with his younger brother while getting the opportunity to chase his first Super Bowl ring. He’d have the rare opportunity to do both in San Francisco.
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