As professed by general manager John Lynch after a sluggish run in free agency, the San Francisco 49ers used their first five picks in the 2025 NFL Draft on defensive players. As also could've been expected, three of those five were defensive lineman (Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins and CJ West).
The youth infusion on defense is welcome, but there is still room to add a veteran or two if it makes sense. Any free-agent signings or trade acquisitions at this point are sure to come cheaply too, which would fit with the Niners' overall plan this offseason.
On a new list of four trades that should happen before the start of the 2025 season, Alex Kay of Bleacher Report suggested the 49ers make a deal for Carolina Panthers edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney:
"There has been a clear need in the Bay Area to assist superstar Nick Bosa in the defensive trenches. The team didn't shy away from addressing that issue during the 2025 draft—utilizing a first-round pick to nab edge-rusher Mykel Williams—but San Francisco could use more veterans in the mix to build out the type of deep, talented pass-rushing rotation that propelled the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl last season."
"If the Panthers are willing to ship Clowney off cheap to clear cap space and free up a roster spot, the Niners would be wise to capitalize on the situation."
49ers should easily be in the mix for the very-available Jadeveon Clowney
ESPN's David Newton reported the Panthers were in discussions about trading Clowney before the draft, then they removed any trade leverage they might've had by drafting two edge rushers (Nic Scourton and Prince Umanmielen).
Leaving aside his roots in the Carolinas as a South Carolina native, Clowney signing a two-year, $20 million deal with the Panthers in 2024 has been odd from the start. A now 32-year old veteran and a team that went 5-12 last season are simply not an ideal match, and the Panthers are ready to acknowledge as much.
Clowney came into the NFL as a much-ballyhooed prospect, and he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2014 draft. He has never come close to living up to that hype, playing for six teams with three Pro Bowl nods over 11 seasons thus far, but he has been a solid all-around edge player and his veteran presence would be useful to a young defensive line.
Clowney entering the final year of his contract should bolster his appeal to a lot of teams. According to Over The Cap, just $2 million of his $8.53 million salary for this year is fully guaranteed, and he he will make $75,000 for each game he's on the active roster ($1.275 million total possible). According to Spotrac, he has up to $2 million in incentives available for registering eight, 10 and 12 sacks.
Cost, in terms of cash spending, was the reason the 49ers largely sat on their hands in free agency while a bunch of defensive talent left. Acquiring Clowney wouldn't cost a lot on the front (a Day 3 draft pick?) or back end, so as the market of available veterans is surveyed (if it is surveyed) he could be high on their list.