4 players 49ers must trade now after 2022 NFL Draft additions

No. 2 player 49ers should try trading: EDGE Samson Ebukam

There are a couple of key reasons why the Niners should look to trade one of their bigger free-agent pickups from a year ago, EDGE Samson Ebukam, who admittedly did finish his first year with San Francisco strong enough but nevertheless boasted a mere 4.5 sacks during the regular season.

Entering year two of his two-year, $12 million deal, Ebukam carries a 2022 cap hit of $8.25 million, according to Over the Cap, which is notably expensive for a player who has yet to reach five sacks in any given regular-season campaign.

Yes, San Francisco needed additional help to support Pro Bowl EDGE Nick Bosa, and it’s never a bad idea to have too many pass-rushers on the roster.

However, in light of the 49ers using their top pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on USC EDGE Drake Jackson, plus the opportunity to free up $6.5 million in cap space by the way of moving Ebukam, the Niners shouldn’t balk at putting the latter on the trade block.

Teams are frequently willing to put a premium on pass-rushers, even C-level ones like Ebukam, meaning he could easily generate more interest than the previous two trade-block players mentioned here.

In doing so, San Francisco would recoup some assets, free up cap space and open up more chances for Jackson to find his footing opposite Bosa.