49ers to Let Starting DT Hit Free Agency

Kalia Davis, a 2022 sixth-round pick, started every game for San Francisco in 2025 but failed to make an impact.

Mar. 2, 2026 at 2:15pm by Ben Kaplan

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The San Francisco 49ers are not planning to tender a contract to defensive tackle Kalia Davis, a 2022 sixth-round pick who started all 17 games for the team in 2025. Davis, a 27-year-old interior lineman out of Central Florida, had just 28 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and 4 passes defended last season as part of a 49ers defensive line that struggled to generate consistent pressure.

Why it matters

The 49ers are looking to upgrade their defensive line this offseason after finishing with just 20 sacks as a team in 2025, three fewer than Myles Garrett had by himself. Letting Davis walk in free agency signals San Francisco is ready to move on from the young defensive tackle and find a more impactful player to pair with star edge rusher Nick Bosa.

The details

Davis was a 2022 sixth-round pick by the 49ers who only played in 3 games through his first two seasons. But he started all 17 games for San Francisco in 2025, recording 28 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 3 passes defended, and 4 tackles for loss. However, he generated just 4 total pressures on 492 defensive snaps, not enough production for a full-time starter on the interior.

  • Kalia Davis was drafted by the 49ers in the 6th round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
  • Davis started all 17 games for the 49ers in the 2025 NFL season.
  • The 49ers are not planning to tender Davis as a restricted free agent, allowing him to hit the open market in 2026.

The players

Kalia Davis

A 27-year-old defensive tackle drafted in the 6th round by the San Francisco 49ers in 2022 out of the University of Central Florida.

Nick Bosa

The star edge rusher for the San Francisco 49ers.

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What they’re saying

“Sources: the 49ers are not planning to tender DT Kalia Davis as an RFA. He will now become a free agent.”

— Jordan Schultz, NFL Insider

What’s next

The 49ers will look to add more impactful defensive linemen in free agency and the 2026 NFL Draft to pair with Nick Bosa and improve their pass rush.

The takeaway

The 49ers are moving on from a young defensive tackle who failed to make a significant impact as a full-time starter, signaling they are prioritizing upgrading the interior of their defensive line this offseason to better support their star edge rusher Nick Bosa.