The San Francisco 49ers can hope their offseason efforts to bolster what was the NFL's worst pass rush a year ago will pan out in 2026.
But, there's always a chance the made moves don't work.
That's probably why Sportsboom's Jason La Canfora linked the Niners as a team potentially interested in edge rusher Alex Highsmith, should the Pittsburgh Steelers opt to move him between now and the NFL trade deadline.
Here's what the NFL insider had to say:
The Steelers’ loaded pass-rush group, led by TJ Watt and recently extended Nick Herbig, has created a potential squeeze on Alex Highsmith.
While Pittsburgh has no urgency to move him, inconsistency and a schematic shift could make him the most likely trade candidate.
League interest is already forming, with Washington, Philadelphia, Buffalo and San Francisco all monitoring his situation ahead of a possible in-season move.
But linebacker Alex Highsmith could end up being the one to go at some point this summer or fall.
Whether or not Pittsburgh opts to move Highsmith could ultimately depend on how it's faring over the first few weeks of the regular season. If the Steelers are floundering in the AFC North, then a would-be trade makes a lot of sense, especially considering Highsmith has zero in guaranteed money, thereby making a trade that much easier to process.
Would San Francisco pull off a move, though?
Yes, albeit under one specific condition.
49ers would only trade for Alex Highsmith if their current pass-rushers aren't cutting it
The 49ers are banking on healthy returns by both defensive ends, Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, who suffered torn ACLs last year. That'll help reinvigorate the pass rush in 2026, as will the offseason trade with the Dallas Cowboys for defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa.
Plus, by grabbing edge rusher Romello Height in the draft last April, the Niners have their situational third-down pass-rusher in the fold.
True, the Niners could stand for additional pass-rush help. That's why there's still a buzz surrounding free-agent names like Jadeveon Clowney or the older Bosa brother, Joey Bosa. Chances are, San Francisco will have a pretty good conclusion about it's current crop of pass-rushers when training camp rolls around. If it feels that group is underwhelming, it'd be far more likely a Bosa or Clowney would be the target, rather than sending draft capital to the Steelers for Highsmith and subsequently absorbing his $14.5 million post-trade cap hit, plus an additional $15.5 million hit in 2027 before his current deal expires.
Therefore, the only way a Highsmith trade makes sense is if the 49ers are faced with a bad pass-rush situation at some point later this summer and/or fall, and neither Bosa nor Clowney are still available on the open market.
Only then would it be plausible for the Niners to give Pittsburgh a buzz about Highsmith's services.
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