Getty

(Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images)

Throughout the offseason, the San Francisco 49ers have been in the speculation mill regarding free agent pass rusher Joey Bosa. With his younger brother, Nick Bosa, on the team, it would make for a great storyline.

Nonetheless, there’s also the financial side of this, and Bosa might believe that he can still produce and wants to be compensated, probably. Last season with the Buffalo Bills, Bosa turned in a solid 2025 campaign, finishing with an overall PFF grade of 79.3.

Over the course of the season, he recorded 47 total pressures, including five sacks, 12 quarterback hits, and 30 hurries. He also added 22 solo tackles and forced five fumbles.

On May 10, NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco shared an update on Bosa and again noted that, because the Niners have financial flexibility, that doesn’t mean they’ll use it this offseason.

“Last season with the Buffalo Bills, Bosa appeared in 15 games and recorded five sacks after earning more than $13 million,“ Maiocco said in a May 10 video on his YouTube channel. “The year before that, he played 14 games with the Los Angeles Chargers and also finished with five sacks. At this stage of his career, and now on the wrong side of 30, the biggest question for the 49ers is what he is still capable of producing.

“Because of that, the door probably is not completely closed until Bosa signs elsewhere. Still, it does not appear the 49ers are willing to increase the price they would pay for Joey Bosa, or any free agent, simply because they have available salary cap space.”

49ers Do Lack Depth in Their Pass Rush

Nonetheless, Maiocco does acknowledge that the lack of depth in their pass rush makes sense, and the older Bosa’s name continues to come up in speculation.

“Everybody continues to talk about Joey Bosa simply because he is still available in free agency,“ Maiocco added. “When looking at the San Francisco 49ers’ outside pass rush, they have Nick Bosa on one side and Romello Height on the other.

“Beyond that, there are still questions about who can consistently pressure the quarterback. Sam Okuayinonu would likely be next in line, but the conversation keeps coming back to Joey Bosa.”

Titans Named Landing Spot for Joey Bosa

Nonetheless, while there’s speculation about the Niners and Bosa, other teams could pursue the veteran. On the May 4 edition of CBS Sports HQ, CBS Sports’ Tyler Sullivan explained why the Titans make sense for Bosa.

“He had five sacks for the Buffalo Bills last season and could return there if he wants to follow a similar path and join a team with Super Bowl potential,“ Sullivan said. “That said, Joey Bosa may prefer some familiarity at this stage of his career, which makes the Tennessee Titans a logical fit, with Gus Bradley as defensive coordinator. Bradley previously held the same role during Bosa’s time with the Los Angeles Chargers.

“The Titans have been adding edge rushers this offseason, but Bosa could still fit as a rotational pass rusher. He is no longer the version of himself that consistently produced double-digit sacks, but he could help establish a defensive culture alongside Bradley and first-year head coach Robert Saleh, while contributing as the team hopes Cam Ward takes a leap in Year 2.”