Jan. 23, 2026, 9:15 p.m. PT

There are 28 members of the San Francisco 49ers who are headed toward some form of free agency when the new league year opens March 11.

Of the 28, 21 of them are unrestricted, six are restricted and one is an exclusive rights free agent.

The ERFA, offensive lineman Austen Pleasants, will more than likely be back with the club because of the nature of exclusive rights free agency. Unless the 49ers opt to not tender him an offer, he’ll be back with the club this offseason.

San Francisco won’t bring back all of their free agents, but there are a handful of the other 27 they should be looking to bring back this offseason. Here are the seven that make the most sense to return:

WR Jauan Jennings

It looked this offseason like Jennings and the 49ers were heading for a split. Now it looks like the 49ers may have a chance to retain their leading wide receiver from the past two seasons. Jennings’ numbers dipped some in 2025, but he still posted 643 receiving yards and a career-best nine touchdowns on 55 catches. Jennings turns 29 in July and dealt with a rash of injuries this past season, which should have earned him some favor in the 49ers’ building despite his contract dispute during training camp. Jennings will surely explore the open market as a first-time unrestricted free agent, but the 49ers should be trying to bring him back to add some much-needed stability to their receiving corps. If there’s not a robust market for him the 49ers would be wise to try and give him the type of deal that keeps him in the Bay Area into his early 30s.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.K Eddy Pineiro

If we’re ranking the pending free agents the 49ers should be retaining, there’s a strong argument Pineiro is at the top of the list. His lone field goal miss this year was a 64-yard try that banged off the crossbar in Indianapolis. His 96.6 percent made field goal rate was the NFL’s best. Outside of the missed 64-yarder he was a perfect 28-for-28, including three-for-three in two road postseason games. The 49ers have been trying to find stability at kicker, and Pineiro provided it after two shaky years of Jake Moody. He should be one of their top priorities in the offseason.

DL Kalia Davis (RFA)

The 49ers aren’t liable to offer a restricted free agent to Davis, who played more games this regular season (17) than he played in his first two years (16). However, they should be looking to extend their former sixth-round pick who became a regular piece of their defensive tackle rotation. Depth was a problem on the 49ers’ defensive front this year. Davis projects as a quality long-term depth piece after finding his NFL footing in 2025.

TE Jake Tonges (RFA)

Tonges is more likely to get an RFA tender because of the George Kittle injury. On the other hand, the 49ers may also want to give him a multiyear deal after he turned in a strong pass-catching effort in 2025 with 34 catches for 293 yards and five touchdowns. With Kittle’s future clouded by his Achilles tear, having Tonges in the building makes a ton of sense as a Kittle replacement and to run alongside Kittle once the veteran TE returns.

OL Spencer Burford

The 49ers should by no means break the bank for Burford. He did eventually settle in as their starting left guard after Ben Bartch went down with an injury, and he has enough versatility to play four spots along the offensive line. He’s a quality depth player on the offensive front even if San Francisco wants an upgrade at the left guard spot.

WR Skyy Moore

Look. There’s not a need to bring Moore back, but he changed a couple of games with kickoff returns and by the end of the year teams were intentionally kicking the ball away from him. He wasn’t particularly involved in the offense. His impact on special teams is enough to warrant his return to the Bay Area for next season.

DL Jordan Elliott

It wouldn’t be a surprise if Elliott is a veteran the 49ers opt not to bring back. He’s 28 and may cost more than they’re aiming to pay a rotational defensive tackle. On the other hand, investing in the defensive line may be a priority and using Elliott alongside Davis to bolster a depth chart that also features young players like CJ West and Alfred Collins would give the club a good mix of experience and youth. Elliott is still an effective player and the 49ers should certainly be looking to bring him back if his market isn’t inflated.

More 49ers: 49ers predicted to pick Trent Williams’ eventual replacement in 2026