The 49ers were one of the teams reported to have an interest in the older Bosa during free agency/
The San Francisco 49ers had a pretty quiet free agency this offseason, being more in the headlines for watching players walk rather than making splash signings.
San Francisco saw linebacker Dre Greenlaw, cornerback Charvarius Ward, safety Talanoa Hufanga, left guard Aaron Banks, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, defensive end Leonard Floyd, and defensive tackle Maliek Collins all sign with other teams in free agency.
The latter few were especially a big blow to the team’s defensive line depth, which the 49ers eventually replaced in the draft with first-round pick Mykel Williams, second-round pick Alfred Collins, and fourth-round pick C.J. West.
However, the 49ers were close to potentially making a veteran addition in free agency. In fact, they were reported to be one of the top suitors initially for defensive end Joey Bosa, the brother of star Nick Bosa, when he was released by the Chargers.
Bosa, who was also linked to the Miami Dolphins, eventually signed with the Buffalo Bills on a one-year deal worth $12.6 million. Bosa will have the opportunity to start there opposite former first-round pick Greg Rousseau.
While Bosa eventually got more money from the Bills, was there ever a realistic chance of him being a 49er?
“Maybe for five minutes on the phone with… maybe I can’t say that,” his brother Nick Bosa said this week about the possibility of his brother Joey joining the 49ers in free agency. “Maybe for a moment.”
“Yeah, it was [exciting to think about the possibility]. But business is business and I’m happy for him, he’s going to get a pretty good opportunity over there.”
Bosa also joked that he would’ve kept the number 97 had his brother joined the team. Of course, the elder Bosa has worn 97 throughout his career, and will continue that tradition with the Bills.
While the idea of having the two brothers playing alongside each other would’ve been a fun story, that signing wouldn’t have matched with the 49ers’ goal of getting younger, which they ended up executing in the draft.
Now, first-round pick Mykel Williams is expected to be the team’s starter opposite Nick Bosa, while Alfred Collins could figure into the mix at defensive tackle once he’s back healthy.
As for the elder Bosa, he has already begun dealing with injury issues in Buffalo, pulling a calf during organized team activities (OTAs) that will sideline him for the foreseeable future, according to head coach Sean McDermott.
“Joey Bosa will not participate today,” McDermott said last week, via CBS Sports. “He pulled a calf. I believe it was late last week. Thursday, I believe. He’ll be out for, more than likely, the foreseeable [future]. Springtime at least, and then we’ll get into training camp. Should be good to go by training camp. But understand it just happened late last week, so still in kind of the exploratory phase of what that’s going to mean.”
So, perhaps the 49ers dodged a bullet with the injury bug. But, the possibility of adding Bosa seemed to be real until the Bills swooped in with the better offer.