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Should 49ers consider re-signing lineman with 24 career starts?
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- Should 49ers consider re-signing lineman with 24 career starts?
The 2025 NFL season is officially in the rearview, and the San Francisco 49ers , like the 31 other teams across the league, have turned their attention to the future.
Once their coaching staff is all situated, the next task on the 49ers ' to-do list will be deciding the future of their 25+ pending free agents, who will hit the market in just a few weeks.
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Among those players slated to become free agents is offensive lineman Matt Hennessy . Let's take a look at the decision the team will have to make regarding the lineman's future this offseason.
Matt Hennessy 2025 season recap
Hennessy signed a two-year deal with the 49ers in December 2024, and this year, he appeared in 17 games and started two at center for the injured Jake Brendel . He held his own against the New York Giants and struggled a bit against the Houston Texans , who had arguably the best defense in the league.
Potential replacements for Matt Hennessy
The 49ers don't have a ton of center depth behind Brendel going into next year that could take Hennessy's place. The only one with real experience at the position is Drake Nugent , who signed a reserve/futures deal for the offseason.
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However, there are free-agent options on the market, including Corey Levin , Austin Schlottmann , Trystan Colon and Ryan McCollum . There will also be plenty of centers available in the draft that San Francisco could take.
What contract could Matt Hennessy receive as a free agent?
Hennessy made $1.28 million in 2025 despite not starting in 2023 or 2024 before arriving in San Francisco. With two starts under his belt in 2025, he'll probably make roughly the same this offseason if he's signed.
Should the 49ers re-sign Matt Hennessy?
The 49ers definitely need depth at center behind Brendel. Some would even argue that they should try to replace their veteran starter. Hennessy would be a cheap option to be second on the depth chart, but they should consider bringing in younger offensive linemen through the draft.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL free agency: 49ers could re-sign veteran OL Matt Hennessy
