49ers Head Coach Deeply Regrets Letting This Linebacker Walk to the Eagles as a Free Agent. Now Wants Him Back After Seeing His Training Camp Dominance

When Oren Burks quietly left the San Francisco 49ers to join the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent this offseason, few people noticed. No headlines. No fanfare. Just another depth move — or so everyone thought.

But just weeks into Eagles training camp, Burks is rewriting that narrative. And suddenly, he’s becoming one of the most talked-about names in Philly. His explosive bursts, elite instincts, and surprising leadership have turned heads — not just in Philadelphia, but back in San Francisco too.

Sources close to the 49ers reveal that head coach Kyle Shanahan is “kicking himself” after watching recent footage of Burks dominating in midnight green. “That’s not the same Burks we had... he looks like a starter over there,” one 49ers staffer reportedly admitted.

And it’s true — with Nakobe Dean still stuck on the PUP list, Burks is quickly emerging as a top candidate to fill that starting linebacker spot. Something has changed. Maybe it's the defensive scheme, maybe it’s the coaching — or maybe it’s just finally his time. Whatever it is, the Eagles seem to be unlocking a version of Oren Burks that San Francisco never saw.

Now, the twist? Insiders suggest that the 49ers have quietly made inquiries about bringing Burks back — at a price far higher than what they let him go for.

From a forgotten rotational piece to a potential starter and breakout star in Philadelphia, Oren Burks may just become the biggest free-agent steal of the 2025 offseason — and the 49ers may have just handed him to a top NFC rival on a silver platter.

Sometimes, the ones you let go come back to haunt you. For Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers, that day might be coming sooner than they think.