5 Free Agents 49ers Could Sign to Replace Alfred Collins

The San Francisco 49ers are going to have to go the rest of the season without second-year defensive lineman Alfred Collins. They will likely call up practice squad defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez to fill the spot, but they have to go through the entire season, so there are some veterans who could be called up.

Who are some of the top names available?

Top Defensive Linemen for San Francisco 49ers to Replace Alfred Collins

Eddie Goldman

Goldman might be the top fit. He was with the Atlanta Falcons in 2024, so he is familiar with Raheem Morris running the show. He has 89 career starts in 111 games and has nine years of NFL experience.

He is 32 years old, but played in 320 snaps last year, so he could help in a rotational manner.

Austin Johnson

Johnson would be entering his 11th season in the NFL. He is going to be 32 years old this season and has 56 career starts in 145 games active. While his 3,558 career snaps are slightly higher than Goldman's, he only had 192 last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He has been with three teams in the past three seasons, and the 49ers could be his fourth in as many years.

49er — USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

DaQuan Jones

Jones has been with the Bills since 2022. He has started in 161 career games and would be entering his 13th NFL season. Last year, he played in 12 games for the Bills and played 424 snaps. He is the oldest of the group, but could be the best in immediate impact.

Kurt Hinish

Hinish was a former UDFA for the Houston Texans who spent three years with the team. He played 1,131 snaps in his career, and he played under DeMeco Ryans his entire career. He should fit the team mentality. However, he missed all of 2025 with an injury, and there are questions about whether he can stay healthy. Still, Hinish will only be 26 years old this season, so there is a good chance he can rebound and potentially stay in the mix for a few seasons.

Sheldon Day

Day would be entering his tenth year in the NFL. He is going to be 32 years old this season and has four career starts in 95 games active. Day also played in 203 snaps last year, so he has shown he can be involved in a rotation.

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