The San Francisco 49ers are looking like one of the more complete rosters in the NFL following free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft, as they’ve addressed quite a few holes without losing much talent overall.
Some of the key issues addressed this offseason were wide receiver and defensive line, where the 49ers added Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and De’Zhaun Stribling for the former and Osa Odighizuwa, Romello Height, and Gracen Halton for the latter.
But, there are still ways to improve the roster with
a ton of free agents still on the board, and the compensatory formula is no longer an issue when signing players. So, who could San Francisco still target in free agency this late in the offseason?
ESPN’s Matt Bowen broke down the best fits for the top remaining free agents left on the board, and unsurprisingly, the 49ers were listed for multiple players.
The first was veteran free agent guard Kevin Zeitler, who will be heading into his 15th NFL season.
“The veteran has a physical inside presence, using his power to displace defensive tackles. And he has the movement ability to pull on gap schemes, which fits into Kyle Shanahan’s system,” Bowen wrote.
“Zeitler also uses his strong base in protection, ranking 37th out of 65 qualifying guards in pass block win rate last season (92.4%). He would be an upgrade to the interior of San Francisco’s O-line, which saw left guard Spencer Burford leave for the Raiders in free agency.”
Zeitler could be the answer at left guard, as the 49ers don’t have a clear-cut option there yet.
The other free agent that fit best for San Francisco in Bowen’s eyes was defensive end Joey Bosa, who remains unsigned after one season with the Buffalo Bills.
“Bosa has answered some availability questions over the past two seasons, playing in at least 14 games in each, and he fits as a pass rusher in Raheem Morris’ defense,” Bowen wrote. “Bosa played 36.3 snaps per game last season in Buffalo, finishing with five sacks, five forced fumbles and 42 pressures.”
“We still see Bosa’s speed-to-power ability on tape, and he still keeps high energy to make stops later in the down. He would provide quality depth for a 49ers’ pass rush that ranked last in pressure rate (24.9%) and total sacks (20) in 2025. And why not have some fun and put him next to his brother, Nick?”
The 49ers were interested in Bosa last offseason, but he took a more lucrative offer with Buffalo, spurning San Francisco and the Miami Dolphins. Bosa has been healthier in recent years, and he would provide a pass-rushing edge to a team that didn’t have it last year.
But San Francisco has also made an effort to stay younger over the past few years, and both of these additions would go against that idea. Still, in an offseason where the 49ers have gotten stronger, they could look to put the finishing touches on this roster and give themselves the best chance to compete for a Super Bowl in 2026.
