Feb. 1, 2026, 9:15 p.m. PT

There may not have been a position on the San Francisco 49ers roster last season that was more impacted by injury than their linebacker group.

Fred Warner, Dee Winters, Tatum Bethune, Luke Gifford and Nick Martin all sustained injuries that cost them games during the regular season. One of the 49ers’ solutions to their injury woes was to bring in veteran former All-Pro Eric Kendricks, who spurned them to join the Dallas Cowboys in the 2024 offseason.

Kendricks remained unemployed until joining the 49ers late in the year. Now they may need to turn to him again as he hits the free agent market.

Eric Kendricks 2025 season recap

Kendricks only played in five games for San Francisco including the postseason after signing with them in late November. He played just 10 defensive snaps in his first two games while contributing primarily on special teams. His final three games were a different story. He started all three contests and played a combined 162 defensive snaps, racking up 23 tackles, three tackles for loss and a pass breakup that sealed the 49ers’ wild card win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Potential replacements for Eric Kendricks

It’s unlikely the 49ers would try and go outside their building to replace Kendricks, who spent his first few weeks with the club on their practice squad. Fred Warner and Tatum Bethune’s returns limit some of the need for Kendricks. If the 49ers don’t bring Kendricks back they’ll likely turn to in-house free agents like Curtis Robinson, Garret Wallow or Luke Gifford to fill the role he filled late last year.

What contract could Eric Kendricks receive as a free agent?

If the 49ers are re-signing Kendricks it would likely be to a short-term, veteran minimum deal in the range of $1.3 million.

Should the 49ers re-sign Eric Kendricks?

While youth has been a priority for San Francisco, having Kendricks in the building would make a ton of sense given the team’s injury problems and lack of experience at LB. He showed he can play on special teams, and a full offseason to learn the Sam LB spot in the 49ers defense should put him in line to provide an upgrade there after they struggled to find a quality option last season.

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