49ers are Creating Cap Space to Potentially Sign This Free Agent

For a moment, the San Francisco 49ers were beginning to run out of salary cap space after several moves made in free agency.

It looked as if the 49ers were going to have to wrap up on players they wanted to sign and acquire. That's all changed after they restructured Nick Bosa's deal to free up $17.4 million in cap space.

The 49ers converted $21.7 million of Bosa's salary into a signing bonus to do so. They now sit at $47 million in cap space. San Francisco has plenty of room to sign another big free agent or two.

That is what had to have led to the 49ers restructuring Bosa's contract. And I know just the free agent signing the 49ers would love to make now.

The free agent they will sign is...

The 49ers must be setting their crosshairs on signing Joey Bosa. With Bryce Huff retired, they have a glaring need for an edge rusher.

The free agency market doesn't boast many adequate options to choose from. So, unless the 49ers want to trade for an edge rusher again, as they did with Huff, they need to settle for free agency.

Bosa can slide into that pass-rushing specialist role as Huff did last season. The 49ers wanted to sign him last year, but got outbid by the Buffalo Bills.

Spending money also wasn't at the forefront for the 49ers in free agency last year, either. But this year, that's clearly changed. They're fine with spending the cash to reel in players again.

Bosa is going to be costly. He always is. He'll happily wait until a double-digit contract gets offered to him, which is probably why he hasn't been signed yet.

Jan 30, 2025; Orlando, FL, USA; NFC defensive end Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers (left) with brother and AFC linebacker Joey Bosa during the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge at Nicholson Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The 49ers are most likely the only team willing, as they would love to reunite the Bosa brothers together. Plus, restructuring Bosa's contract might've been a hint.

Imagine the 49ers approached him, wanting to restructure with the convincing point to be to bring his brother aboard. That isn't a hard sell at all, especially since Bosa gets his money immediately now.

The 49ers will finally get their fun story of the Bosa brothers playing together. Just think of all the incredible merchandise they will produce because of it.

However, unlike Nick, brother Joey isn't some great player. By no means is he a scrub. He can play and still be an impactful player. It's just the cost of getting him that's going to sting.

He's an older player with a hefty injury history. But at this point, the 49ers may feel they don't have any other option when it comes to edge rusher.

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