Which 49ers Free Agent Departure Will Sting the Most?

One 49ers free agency departure will certainly sting more than others who have found new homes.

Quite a handful of players have left the 49ers in free agency.

About nine players to be exact. Some players, however, are weighted more heavily in terms of impact. There will certainly be a player or two that when the season rolls around where the 49ers find themselves missing that player.

So which 49ers free agent departure will sting the most?

I would go with D.J. Jones.

All season long in 2021, DeMeco Ryans raved about Jones. After Nick Bosa, Jones was easily the most praised player on the defensive line, and probably the defense, by Ryans. It is clear how highly he viewed him and how much of an impact Jones was to the defense. Ryans had full trust in him and had a player who can be a force in both the run and pass game. Even Kyle Shanahan mentioned at the NFL owners meetings that Jones was a "tough player to lose."

With Jones gone, that means the responsibility of stepping up falls on Javon Kinlaw. He still has some rawness to him that he needs to get sorted out, but this is why Kris Kocurek gets paid the big bucks. It is on Kocurek, and Kinlaw, to get him on a level where Jones isn't being missed.

However, where I do see Jones being missed is if Kinlaw misses time. 

Kinlaw has had knee issues since suffering the injury back in 2020 against the Cowboys late in the season. It is what kept him out of the 2021 season. Kinlaw believes his health is good and even Shanahan agrees. 

“This is the healthiest I’ve seen him since he’s been here." said Shanahan. "I really think he fixed some of the things that were issues and I’m as excited for him as anyone.”

That's great and all that they believe so because it does not matter. Until he gets out there and proves it, the words of both these men are moot. Lets see it to believe it and right now it is tough to want to buy in. Should he miss time, that is when the 49ers will miss Jones. A consistent and impactful player who didn't need to be worried about with his health. 

I get not wanting to pay him what the Broncos did since they need to hit their return on investment with Kinlaw. But still, it could bring back the question of if the 49ers made the right move letting Jones walk should Kinlaw struggle with his health and/or development.