It’s no surprise to anyone the San Francisco 49ers are reportedly still looking for defensive line help, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz. They are supposedly looking for an edge rusher, which makes sense since they fortified the interior of the D-line by acquiring DeForest Buckner.
And they should look to Robert Saleh and the Tennessee Titans to help strengthen the pass rush.
While some Niners fans would love to see the team swing a trade for a big name like Khalil Mack, that may not be possible, especially if other teams are in the mix and offer more than what San Francisco is comfortable with.
That’s why the 49ers can’t put all of their eggs in the Mack basket and should explore other options who may not be household names but could still make a potential impact.
Titans' Jermaine Johnson is perfect trade target for 49ers
Jermaine Johnson seems like he would be an ideal fit for the Niners. He is a 27-year-old edge rusher in the final year of his contract and he three sacks in eight games played for Tennessee. He was drafted in the first round by the New York Jets in 2022, when Saleh was the head coach there, and has been a solid pro since then. He made the Pro Bowl in 2023 and has 16 career sacks in five seasons.
The Titans are obviously not making the playoffs this season, so if they’re smart, they will sell off their assets ahead of the trade deadline. They already showed they are willing to do that by trading Jeffery Simmons to the Chicago Bears for a hefty sum, so Johnson could potentially be next. Whereas the Bears gave up two first-round picks for Simmons, the Niners could probably get Johnson for a third-round pick.
Mack has a better pedigree, but he only has three sacks on the season, so one could even argue that Johnson, especially since he is younger, could be superior to Mack at this point in his career.
Saleh clearly likes Johnson. That’s why the Titans traded for him shortly after Saleh took over as head coach in Tennessee. He may not want to see Johnson go, but if Saleh is going to have a soft spot for any team, it will be San Francisco. And Johnson is going to be a free agent after the season, so surely, Saleh can hope to just sign him back in free agency.
The 49ers need pass-rusher help, and it’s never a bad idea to turn to old friends for assistance. General manager John Lynch should be on the phone with the Titans trying to make this deal happen.
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