Feb. 4, 2026, 6:45 p.m. PT

The San Francisco 49ers are fully in offseason mode after losing to the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round and making changes to their coaching staff, specifically on the defensive side of the ball.

Over the coming weeks, John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan will have several decisions to make regarding roughly 30 players from their 2025 roster who will become free agents at the start of the new league year.

Among those players is defensive end Clelin Ferrell. Let’s analyze that situation before Lynch and Shanahan make their call.

Clelin Ferrell 2025 season recap

Ferrell began the season with the Washington Commanders, but the team released him before Week 1. He spent roughly a month with the Los Angeles Chargers before landing with the 49ers for the second time in his career.

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The 28-year-old went on to play in eight games for San Francisco and recorded 24 tackles, five quarterback hits and a team-high 4.0 sacks (tied with Bryce Huff).

Potential replacements for Clelin Ferrell

With Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams returning from torn ACLs in 2026 and the duo of Bryce Huff and Keion White also expected to be back, the 49ers already have a decent rotation on the edge.

If they were looking to add another weapon to rush the passer, Jaelan Phillips, Jihad Ward, Joey Bosa, Kwity Paye and Joseph Ossai are just some names near the top of the market.

What contract could Clelin Ferrell receive as a free agent?

Ferrell played on a one-year, $1.17 million deal in 2025, and finishing with four sacks in just eight games could put him in line for a raise. Still, he probably won’t be making more than $2 million to $4 million per year.

Should the 49ers re-sign Clelin Ferrell?

Ferrell provided San Francisco with pass rush help when they needed it, but his efforts weren’t enough to make it a strength for Robert Saleh’s defense. It’s hard to imagine Shanahan and Lynch adding a starter on the edge, but if they’re looking for a rotational piece, Ferrell will likely be just as good as anyone else.

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