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The San Francisco 49ers are looking to strengthen their pass rush ahead of the 2026 season, aiming to add depth at the edge rather than relying heavily on just a couple of players.

Veteran edge rusher Joey Bosa, who spent last season with the Buffalo Bills, has emerged as a potential target. In 2025, Bosa earned a 79.3 overall PFF grade, ranking 17th among 115 qualified edge defenders.

He particularly stood out as a pass rusher, posting an 88.7 grade in that area, while his run-defense grade lagged at 54.6. Over the season, Bosa generated 47 pressures, including five sacks, 12 hits, and 30 hurries. He also contributed 22 solo tackles and forced five fumbles.

Nonetheless, recently, 49ers general manager John Lynch put cold water on that speculation.

“I know that would make Mama Bosa happy, but I don’t know if we can afford him,” Lynch said (h/t David Lombardi of the SF Standard ).

However, David Lombardi, who covers the 49ers for the San Francisco Standard, speculates whether the Niners could wait after the draft to see whether they see eye to eye with Bosa on his asking price.

“There is a nonzero chance the 49ers exit the draft without picking up a defensive lineman projected to make the 53‑man roster, leaving holes in their rotation,” Lombardi said on April 4 on his YouTube channel . “If that happens, they might turn their attention back to free agency with a different price point in mind.

“Right now, they don’t see eye to eye with Joey Bosa, but after the draft, when signings don’t count against the compensatory formula, the 49ers could potentially reach an agreement with someone like Bosa.”

49ers Insider Doesn’t Hold Back on Joey Bosa Speculation

San Francisco could use that production from the older Bosa. Aside from the financial aspect Lynch laid out, Grant Cohn, who covers the 49ers for On SI, says he doesn’t fit the profile that defensive coordinator Raheem Morris wants.

“I just don’t think the 49ers are interested in Joey Bosa,” Cohn said on March 24 on his YouTube channel . “Maybe Nick is. Maybe Cheryl Bosa is interested in this, you know, teaming together. I just don’t see why Raheem Morris would want it. Seems like what Raheem Morris is looking for is a very specific type of player, an outside linebacker. That is not Joey Bosa.

“The way Raheem Morris usually coaches his defense, I’m not a Raheem Morris expert, but I’ve followed him when he was in the NFC West with the Rams. He was a head coach. He wants guys on the edge who can drop into coverage. That’s a necessary skill; it’s part of his scheme when he’s calling coverages and blitzes.

“He wants guys on the edge who can drop into coverage, not once a season but two or three times a game. He already has one edge guy who can’t do that in Nick Bosa.”

Joey Bosa Would Be Ideal Fit for Niners

While Cohn doesn’t believe Joey fits the profile the 49ers need at edge, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco recently shared his thoughts on the potential move for the Niners to add another pass rusher, noting it makes sense.

“[The] 49ers still have a little bit of money to be able to add an edge rusher,” Maiocco said in a March 14 video from his YouTube channel . “I would think the guy at the top of the list is Joey Bosa… To me, Joey Bosa makes sense. I do not think he is going to be as costly as he was a year ago, when he accounted for about $13 million for the one season with the Buffalo Bills.

“Joey Bosa turns 31 in July. He started 15 games for Buffalo last year and played 64 percent of the snaps. He had five sacks and five forced fumbles. So he can still play. The question is whether he is an every-down player at this stage in his career. He pretty much was with the Buffalo Bills.”

Eduardo Razo Eduardo Razo is a sports writer for Heavy.com, covering the NFL, MLB, and college football. He has previously covered the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB for NBC Sports Washington and NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and has freelanced for PSG Talk, covering Paris Saint-Germain. He also worked as an editor at Athlon Sports, focusing on MLB and the NFL. More about Eduardo Razo