Why the 49ers Do Not Have a Free Agent They Must Re-Sign

Of the 27 free agents the 49ers have, there isn't a single one that they must re-sign. Here is why.

Feb 24, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch speaks at the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

27 players are slated to be free agents on the San Francisco 49ers. At this time, the 49ers should be figuring out which free agents they must try to bring back.

Kicker Eddy Pineiro is one of those players they'd love to re-sign. Jauan Jennings is another, but he will be priced out thanks to competing offers.

Despite how much the 49ers would love to have Pineiro, Jennings, and others back, there isn't a single free agent on their team that they must re-sign.

The reality is that every player on the 49ers who will become an unrestricted or restricted free agent is replaceable. Not a single player in free agency will be a brutal departure for them.

It isn't like last year when the 49ers witnessed Charvarius Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, and Dre Greenlaw walk in free agency. Those were tough exits that stung them.

49ers have zero must re-sign free agents

San Francisco 49ers kicker Eddy Pineiro (18) reacts to a Indianapolis Colts turnover Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, during a game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This year, there isn't anywhere close to that. That includes Pineiro. As sweet and great a story as he was, he's not irreplaceable at all. There are decent kickers everywhere.

And if the next kicker after Pineiro isn't good, then guess what? They can cut that player and sign another one. It's not difficult at all.

The 49ers just made it seem difficult because they held onto Jake Moody for way too long. Cutting and signing a new kicker is as easy as turning over your hand.

Aside from Pineiro, who else is a free agent that would be awesome to have back? Wide receiver Skyy Moore? He was awesome as a returner for half of the season, but he's not a must-re-sign player.

Linebacker Eric Kendricks? He was sweet in his wild-card playoff start, but he's an older player. Losing him isn't detrimental to their success on defense.

All of the 49ers' free agents are a culmination of average. The best player in their free agent class is Jennings, and as excellent as he's been for the 49ers, he's not irreplaceable.

If he were, the 49ers would've extended him before the 2025 regular season. When they didn't extend him along with Brock Purdy, George Kittle, and Fred Warner, it was clear they were passing on him.

The 49ers could lose every one of their free agents and replace them with other players, and they wouldn't skip a beat. Every team has at least one free agent they must re-sign.

But the Niners aren't that team this year.

Follow Jose on X (Twitter) @JS3sanchezz to interact with him and subscribe to his YouTube Channel here for more 49ers content.