5 Players Who Will Most Likely Walk From the 49ers in Free Agency

The offseason is in full swing for the San Francisco 49ers. Right now, they’re looking at who will be Robert Saleh’s replacement as the defensive coordinator.

It’s not an easy process by any means. Unfortunately, the difficulties are just getting started. The 49ers will soon need to figure out their plan for free agency.

The first step will be to determine which players will be back and which won’t. Here are five players who most likely will walk from the 49ers in free agency.

Jauan Jennings

Arguably, the most obvious player that will leave the 49ers in free agency is Jauan Jennings. The two sides couldn’t come to an agreement during training camp on an extension.

The 49ers refused to engage in it, which was obvious after they extended Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Fred Warner in May. Once they did that, it signaled they weren’t going to extend Jennings.

Now, that all feels so long ago already. Jennings, John Lynch, and Kyle Shanahan have expressed how much respect they have for each other. But free agency opens up a new path for Jennings.

It’s a path that will show him what he’s worth. That’s typically what happens in free agency. He will inevitably be priced out of the 49ers, unless he miraculously wants to come back for less money.

Brian Robinson Jr.

It would’ve been nice if the 49ers used Brian Robinson Jr. more often. Instead, they worked Christian McCaffrey into the ground. Robinson started to hit his stride in the second half of the season.

Yet, Shanahan never wanted to incorporate more and give McCaffrey a break. There’s no way Robinson was okay with that. He’s just a team player and knows how to fit in from his time at Alabama under Nick Saban.

Robinson is a lock to sign with another team when free agency opens up. Remember, he was a starter before being traded to the 49ers. He’ll look for a team that will give him that chance.

Spencer Burford

49errs — August 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Spencer Burford (74) during the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

If there’s anything to learn from the 49ers during free agency, it’s that they won’t re-sign their left guard. Expect Spencer Burford to join another team. It’s been the case every year at the position.

From Laken Tomlinson to Aaron Banks. You can even throw in Jaylon Moore since he was a swing tackle. Burford has given the 49ers decent contributions, but he’s not worth signing.

Free agency will likely inflate his value as it always does for middling players. Unless the market is quiet on him, don’t anticipate Burford returning to the 49ers in 2026.

Yetur Gross-Matos

You could argue that the 49ers should’ve made Yetur Gross-Matos a salary cap casualty. Had they released him last offseason, they could’ve freed up some cap space.

Instead, they elected to retain him, and it came at a cost. The price to keep Gross-Matos wasn’t worth it at all. He didn’t make an impact for the 49ers aside from the Injured Reserve list.

Gross-Matos is an extremely injury-prone player. It would be shocking if any team signed him. He would have no choice but to take a minimal deal if he wants to continue playing.

Eric Kendricks

There’s probably another player to name in this list, but Eric Kendricks became a popular name towards the end of the season. He was solid against the Eagles in the Wild Card game.

It would be sweet to have him in the fold, but Kendricks knows he was just a fill-in. Fred Warner will be back, and so will Tatum Bethune. Kendricks will look elsewhere for a chance to start.

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Jauan Jennings

Brian Robinson Jr.

Spencer Burford

Yetur Gross-Matos

Eric Kendricks

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