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3 Free Agents the 49ers Might Need to Sign in Training Camp

It would be a last resort to sign one of these free agents.
Jun 10, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan (left) and general manager John Lynch watch their team work out during an OTA at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images
Jun 10, 2025; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan (left) and general manager John Lynch watch their team work out during an OTA at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

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There are a few questionable positions on the San Francisco 49ers that they're hoping will pan out for them during training camp, like safety.

It's a gamble for a team with playoff aspirations, but they have to see if a player can step up. However, there's a chance they never get that and realize they need help as training camp plays out.

Should that happen, the 49ers will need to look outside of the building, which means they'll dabble in free agency. Three free agents stand out the most as players the 49ers might need to sign.

Joey Bosa

Joey Bos
Buffalo Bills defensive end Joey Bosa watches the offensive line on the field during second half action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Nov 16, 2025 at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park. | Tina MacIntyre-Yee/Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Joey Bosa is the most obvious one. He's been linked to the 49ers since the offseason began, thanks to his brother, Nick Bosa, being on the team.

The 49ers haven't signed him yet due to his insanely high price. It isn't worth it, especially since he's past his prime and has injury concerns.

Yet, if the 49ers dislike what they see out of rookie Romello Height and other defensive ends during training camp, they'll feel like they have no choice but to sign Bosa, despite his high cost.

He'll instantly fill a need and provide the 49ers with some comfort at the position. But it's all contingent on Height and others being underwhelming.

Najee Harris

Najee Harri
May 20, 2025; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Najee Harris (22) catches the ball during offseason workouts at The Bolt. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 49ers have placed all of their chips on rookie Kaelon Black and Jordan James to back up Christian McCaffrey. It's a bold move, especially since Kyle Shanahan doesn't trust young players.

He's quick to move on from them if they fail to impress during training camp. If Black and James are performing up to par, then you can fully expect the 49ers to add a running back in free agency.

Najee Harris would be the immediate one that will come to mind. He should come at a cheap cost, given he's coming off a torn Achilles and that he's been a free agent for months.

The 49ers could also trade for a running back, similar to what they did last year with Brian Robinson Jr. Everything is on the table, but for free agents, Harris is the likeliest they'd sign.

Harrison Smith

Harrison Smit
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings safety Harrison Smith (22) against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

This one is a wild card, as Harrison Smith could be retired by the time training camp kicks off. It's unclear what he'll do, but if he doesn't, he'll be a top contingency for the 49ers.

The safety position is arguably their weakest. If it turns out that they have no faith in the players they have there as training camp and the preseason go on, they'll need to look outside the building.

They cannot settle for what they have at safety if no one is proving capable of stepping up. Signing Smith would be a no-brainer. He'll instantly be their best player at the position, even at 37 years old.


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Jose Luis Sanchez III
JOSE SANCHEZ

Jose Luis Sanchez III has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily for FanNation since 2019. He started off as the lead publisher for FanNation's All49ers, then switched positions to become the Deputy Editor in 2020. Sanchez writes, edits, and produces videos daily for All49ers. He also co-hosts a show on YouTube with All49ers lead publisher Grant Cohn weekly. Prior to FanNation, Sanchez started his writing career back in 2016 for the school newspaper at Skyline college where he covered all sports team in the Bay Area. Following that from 2017 to 2019, he found a role as a contributor for FanSided's news desk along with their site's Just Blog Baby covering the Las Vegas Raiders and Golden Gate Sports every professional Bay Area sports team. Atop all of that, he was able to graduate with a Bachelors degree in Communication Studies at San Francisco State University in 2020. Sanchez is committed to ensuring he delivers transparent analysis and straightforward opinions that resonates with readers to get them thinking.

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