March 1, 2026, 2:45 p.m. PT

Overhauling a struggling pass rush will be paramount for a successful offseason for the San Francisco 49ers. That’s part of the reason restricted free agent Sam Okuayinonu offers a little bit of a conundrum for 49ers general manager John Lynch.

Okuayinonu’s restricted free agency means the 49ers will have an opportunity to place one of three RFA tenders on him. If they do that, he’d have a chance to explore the market to sign an offer sheet with another team, then the 49ers would get a chance to match that offer sheet. If they don’t use an RFA tender, he becomes an unrestricted free agent.

Okuayinonu has become a key piece of the 49ers’ defensive end rotation, but that has largely been out of necessity the last two years while the 49ers dealt with some injury problems. There’s a real question about whether the 49ers should bring him back, or if it’s time to cut ties with him to bring in some new talent on the defensive front.

Here’s a quick look at Okuayinonu’s restricted free agency.

Sam Okuayinonu 2025 season recap

The 2025 campaign looked a lot like the 2024 season for Okuayinonu. He started 12 of the 15 games he played and once again posted 3.0 sacks. He also posted six tackles for loss and seven quarterback hits to match his numbers from the 2024 season when he started three of the 16 games he played. The big difference between the two years for the 27-year-old is his snap count. In 2025 he played 575 snaps, easily eclipsing his career-high 450 from a season ago.

Expert NFL picks: Exclusive betting insights only at USA TODAY.Potential replacements for Sam Okuayinonu

The 49ers wouldn’t go about directly replacing Okuayinonu since in an ideal world he’s a depth piece. If they did go a different direction, we’d likely see his role occupied by a draft pick or perhaps a lower-tier free agent like Clelin Ferrell. If San Francisco doesn’t re-sign Okuayinonu, he’s not a player they’ll break the bank to replace.

What contract could Sam Okuayinonu receive as a free agent?

It’s hard to imagine the 49ers will give Okuayinonu a free agent tender. The right of first refusal tender sits at $3,520,000 according to Over the Cap. If the 49ers are bringing Okuayinonu back it would likely be for one year at a cheaper rate. If they believe there’s more growth to come for the former undrafted free agent, they could look at a two-year contract in the range of $8 million with a small amount of guaranteed money.

Should the 49ers re-sign Sam Okuayinonu?

In an ideal world the 49ers would have Okuayinonu as a deep rotational piece, or perhaps an interior depth player on their practice squad. His production on a per-snap basis dipped some in 2025, but it’s also easy to see his production climbing if he’s put in a more limited role in a better defensive end room. Okuayinonu has been a nice find for San Francisco and is worth bringing back if the price is right.

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