When the Los Angeles Chargers released former Pro Bowl defensive end Joey Bosa, the belief was that Bosa would join his little brother Nick in San Francisco. The 49ers could use another pass rusher to pair with Bosa, especially seeing the lack of sacks San Francisco had as a unit last season (insert number).
Then to make things more interesting, the 49ers cut veteran defensive end Leonard Floyd on Tuesday, making the idea of a potential Bosa signing likely. However, the Niners lost the Bosa sweepstakes to the Buffalo Bills, who signed the former Chargers defender to a one-year, $12.6 million deal.
The Miami Dolphins were also reportedly in the running for Bosa’s services. The 49ers can only blame themselves for not stepping up to the plate to get the former LA Charger.
On Monday night, Mike Silver of The Athletic reported that the 49ers and Dolphins made similar offers where Bosa would get less than $10 million in 2025.
The 49ers and Dolphins have each made offers to free agent edge rusher Joey Bosa in the same relative price range... he'd get less than $10 million in 2025 in either scenario. @TheAthletic
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 11, 2025
Nevertheless, it's not surprising that Bosa took the larger deal from an AFC contender where he could get considerable snaps as the Bills parted ways with veteran pass rusher Von Miller.
With Bosa out of the picture, San Francisco must find another way to retool its defense. The 49ers need another starting pass rusher and two starting-caliber defensive tackles after cutting Maliek Collins and Javon Hargrave.
In addition to the defensive line, the 49ers need to find a starting linebacker to pair next to Fred Warner. Dre Greenlaw signed a three-year, $35 million deal with the Denver Broncos. Greenlaw will join fellow teammate Talanoa Hufanga in the Mile High City.
If the 49ers weren’t willing to go over the $10 million mark for a player with Bosa’s resume, San Francisco fans shouldn’t expect a big signing on defense. Instead, the 49ers’ best plan of action should be to go after low-risk, high-upside signings to fill their various needs on defense.