Nick Bosa reveals plans for Joey Bosa amid 49ers rumors

Nick Bosa may have poured cold water on the idea of ​​a family reunion in San Francisco, but he certainly didn’t close the door.

When Bosa met with reporters after practice Thursday, the legendary 49ers running back responded to the growing speculation about whether or not his brother, Joey Bosa, would join him.

As Matt Barrows of Athletic noted, Nick has downplayed any serious football discussions involving Joey, saying his older brother is “working on his golf right now” and “doesn’t think much about football.”

The comment sounded simple, but it got in the middle of the league’s loudest conversation.

Like Nick, Joey is a longtime star pass rusher who spent last season playing for the Buffalo Bills. As the second wave of free agency continues, Joey remains one of the top names on the free agency market.

The topic that has grown throughout the league is that the Bosa brothers uniting has started to gain momentum.

ESPN’s Matt Bowen has already identified San Francisco as a logical landing spot for Joey, citing roster needs and strategic fit.

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The appeal is obvious on paper. Nick is under contract and is one of the best linebackers in the league. Joey is coming off a productive season in Buffalo, where he posted five sacks, five forced fumbles, and 42 pressures while proving he can still disrupt games when healthy and managed.

But the fit of the ball is only part of the story. The 49ers’ pass rush was one of the league’s worst in 2025, and the numbers back it up, ranking 29th in the NFL with just 173 pressures.

Much of that struggle was due to the fact that the younger Bosa was hurt the rest of the season, but in theory, adding another Bosa would immediately change the statistics of opposing offenses.

49ers General Manager John Lynch recently acknowledged the rumors, joking that the reunion would please “Mama Bosa,” but added “But I don’t know if we can pay him.”

San Francisco currently has the most cap space in the NFL at $72.5 million, according to Over the Cap. Spotrac estimates that Joey’s market value could get a 2-year, $27.5 million deal. So Lynch’s comments now appear to be a way of sidestepping the question directly rather than a financial impossibility.

For now, the idea of ​​a Bosa brothers reunion remains the same: interesting, popular, and easy to pull off.

For a 49ers team with legitimate Super Bowl aspirations, they can’t just make a feel-good move; they need to add real game-changing players, especially ones who can always be found deep in the playoffs.

Time will tell if the front office sees Joey Bosa as that type of player.