The San Francisco 49ers are onto 2026, after going 12-5 in 2025 and eventually falling to the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round at Lumen Field.
While general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan will have a lot to think about in the coming weeks, one of their most important decisions will be whether or not they re-sign their pending free agents.
Among those free agents is wide receiver Kendrick Bourne . Let's examine this upcoming decision for San Francisco .
The New England Patriots released Bourne before Week 1, allowing him to return to the 49ers , the team that brought him into the NFL in 2017. He went on to catch 37 passes for 551 yards, which includes back-to-back 142-yard performances in Weeks 5 and 6.
With San Francisco possibly losing Bourne, Jauan Jennings , Brandon Aiyuk and Skyy Moore , there's not much for replacements on the roster currently.
There are, however, free agents that could be enticing for the 49ers, including George Pickens , Alec Pierce , Romeo Doubs and Rashid Shaheed . As well as a slew of prospects that San Francisco could take in the 2026 NFL draft.
After playing on a 1-year, $1.7 million deal in 2026 that included several incentives, Bourne is projected to receive a 1-year, $3.25 million contract this offseason, according to Spotrac.
San Francisco's wide receiver room may not be that deep, but Bourne was too inconsistent in 2025 to warrant a spot on the roster next year. The 49ers should look to upgrade the room in whatever ways they can.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: What should the 49ers do with Kendrick Bourne this offseason?
