One speculative path involves PFF’s suggestion that San Francisco pursue Joey Bosa to complement the edge rotation. That idea has been met with notable pushback from local media, including 49ers reporter Grant Cohn, who argued on X that signing Joey would be a mistake and even urged the team to move on from Nick Bosa due to his contract.
The 49ers are also in the market for a new defensive coordinator after Robert Saleh departed for a head coaching job with the Tennessee Titans. Reports indicate the team has interviewed Raheem Morris, Joe Woods, and Gus Bradley, while Jim Schwartz has emerged in online speculation as a potential fit for the defense.
NBC Sports Bay Area’s Jennifer Lee Chan recently offered a cautious take on Schwartz, suggesting he might not be the best fit for the 49ers’ defensive blueprint. She noted the team is built around a dominant, line-based pass rush, with safeties acting as erasers and linebackers handling run defense rather than heavy blitz schemes.
Former 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman, meanwhile, argued that Schwartz could benefit from coaching San Francisco if he aspires to a head-coaching position again, highlighting the franchise’s track record of elevating coordinators to head coaching roles.
With the NFC West contending in 2026, including a Seahawks squad that reached the conference title game and appears poised for more, the 49ers’ decisions on Nick Bosa’s future, potential edge-rush upgrades, and the defensive coaching staff will dictate how aggressive they need to be this offseason. This evolving balance of personnel and leadership will shape the team’s trajectory heading into the next season.
