The NFL Draft has come and gone and the San Francisco 49ers have their eyes set on the 2025 season. San Francisco will be looking to erase the memory of a 6-11 season and they will do so with a cast of new faces as they shelled out big a big contract to George Kittle and will likely deal another one to Brock Purdy.
But while the 49ers have shuffled their roster this offseason, they aren’t the only team dealing with change. Veterans across the NFL are looking at a different landscape as a new crop of rookies are looking to take their job and it could lead to several familiar faces looking for a new one before the calendar turns to June.
In this article, we’ll look at three former 49ers players who have gone elsewhere but could be on the free agent market by the end of the month.
1. Kendrick Bourne, WR, Patriots
Kendrick Bourne started his career in San Francisco and was part of the team that went to the Super Bowl in 2019. But he’s found a way to cash in with the New England Patriots signing two three-year deals worth a total of $34.5 million. With 155 catches, 1,945 yards and 11 touchdowns in his first four seasons, the Patriots haven’t gotten the most out of their investment and may have finally said the buck stops here.
New England currently has 12 receivers on its roster, including free agent signees Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins. DeMario Douglas is also a lock to make the team as a slot receiver, and the Patriots selected Washington State’s Kyle Williams in the draft. A new regime led by Mike Vrabel may decide to move on from 2023 sixth-round pick Kayshon Boutte and 2024 draft picks Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. But Bourne has to compete with all of these guys just to make the roster.
2. Elijah Mitchell, RB, Chiefs
Mitchell had been a player who had fallen out of favor in San Francisco, but his time in Kansas City could come to a brief halt. The 27-year-old signed with the Chiefs, hoping to add a different element to the bruising style of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt, but Kansas City seemingly tripled down, selecting SMU running back Brashard Smith in the seventh round of last month’s draft.
Smith is a great athlete, posting a 9.5 relative athletic score (RAS) with a 4.35-second time in the 40-yard dash. But his yards after contact per attempt have declined from 3.44 during his rookie season in 2021 to 2.90 yards after contact in 2023. A severe hamstring injury also knocked Mitchell out for the entire 2024 campaign and could have a residual effect on his explosiveness.
Losing the one thing that makes him different in the Chiefs backfield isn’t a great development on a one-year, $2.5 million contract and could make him expendable before the start of training camp.
3. Eric Saubert, TE, Seahawks
Saubert crossed divisional picket lines to join the Seattle Seahawks in free agency. But it’s unclear who has the advantage to a roster spot as the Seahawks head into minicamp. Noah Fant has been unspectacular in his two seasons in Seattle and 2024 draft pick AJ Barner was seemingly put on notice when Seattle selected Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo in the second round of last month’s draft. But it could be Saubert who is the one that sees the blade.
The 31-year-old is an eight year NFL veteran that is equipped for the third tight end role and is an adequate run-blocker. But unless the Seahawks want to throw in the towel on Fant or Barner, it feels like Saubert is more of a camp body than a contributor to the offense. That could leave him looking for work and Seattle to sort out it’s log jam during training camp.