Speculation about the San Francisco 49ers and Joey Bosa has dominated the offseason over the last couple of weeks. The Niners could use depth at the pass rush after a challenging 2025 NFL season.
The veteran pass rusher showed last season with the Buffalo Bills that he has plenty left in the tank. During the 2025 season, the former Bills pass rusher played 563 snaps, leading to a 79.3 overall PFF defensive grade.
He generated 47 total pressures as a pass rusher, including five sacks, 30 hurries, and 12 hits. Against the run, he recorded 22 solo tackles while forcing five fumbles on the season.
On May 28, Nick Bosa spoke with the media and was asked about his brother, but it doesn’t appear that the veteran has football on his mind.
“He’s working on his golf game,” the younger Bosa said (h/t David Lombardi of the SF Standard). “I don’t think he’s thinking too much about football.”
It will be interesting to see whether the Niners decide to meet the player’s asking price or whether the older Bosa lowers his salary demands to play with his younger brother and be a major help to San Francisco’s pass rush.
49ers’ Nick Bosa Would Benefit From Having Joey Bosa
Although it would be a good storyline to have both brothers playing together, Joey could be a major help to Nick, who is coming off an ACL tear last season. With the older Bosa still a free agent, KNBR’s Larry Krueger shared that the Niners somehow need to sign the former Los Angeles Chargers star before the 2026 season starts.
“Joey Bosa is definitely a fit,” Krueger said on the May 25 edition of “The Krueg Show.” “Obviously, his brother is on the roster returning from a torn ACL. His brother needs him at this point. If Joey Bosa came to the Niners, that would make Nick Bosa’s life easier.
“Joey Bosa has made a ton of cash, and I think at this point, making his little brother’s life easier and maybe pairing with him to get a ring together could be very exciting and intriguing. But the price has probably got to be right.”
Could the Bears Be a Potential Fit for Free Agent Joey Bosa?
Despite the fit with the 49ers, if San Francisco doesn’t want to meet, then it opens the door for another team to make a run at the veteran free agent. In a May 26 article, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report noted that the Chicago Bears would be an ideal landing spot for the older Bosa.
“Given the Bears recorded a meager 35 sacks all last season while ranking a concerning No. 29 in total defense and falling in the bottom half of the league in both scoring and pass defense, it’s a touch concerning that the team didn’t bring in an elite edge rusher through free agency or the draft,“ Kay wrote.
“… Fortunately for Chicago, there are a surprising amount of quality free-agent edge rushers lingering on the open market. Joey Bosa is arguably the best of the bunch after his strong campaign with the Buffalo Bills last year.”
Nick Bosa Doesn’t Hold Back on Joey Bosa Amid 49ers Speculation