The San Francisco 49ers could certainly use some help at edge rusher ahead of the NFL trade deadline on November 10. Nick Bosa is expected to come back in Week 9, but the fact that he’s only played in two games this season is definite cause for concern.
Khalil Mack of the Los Angeles Chargers is a name that has been thrown around, but he will likely have a number of suitors since plenty of teams could use a talented, veteran edge rusher.
If Mack goes to another team and the Niners have to turn somewhere else, perhaps Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans can help them out a little bit. One trade prediction from CBS Sports has the Texans send veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney and a 2027 seventh-round pick to the Niners in exchange for a 2028 sixth-round pick from San Francisco.
That would be a pretty good deal for the red and gold. Clowney hasn’t been incredible this season, as he has just 1.5 sacks in five games played, but he’d at least be a decent insurance option in case they have to deal with more attrition on the defensive line.
Clowney has been in the NFL a long time, as he was drafted No. 1 overall by Houston back in 2014 and, after playing for several other teams, finally made his way back to the Texans on a one-year, $5.5 million contract.
49ers may only need depth pieces ahead of the trade deadline
He would not be a starter as long as Nick Bosa and Keion White stay healthy, but he could be in the mix alongside some of their younger options like Mykel Williams and Romello Height. That would give them a healthy combination of youngsters and veterans for the rest of the season.
A trade for Clowney might disappoint some 49ers fans. Many wish for the Niners to go out and get a big fish like Maxx Crosby, but that may be tough to pull off, so they may have to set their sights a little bit lower.
Of course, not every big trade for an edge rusher pans out. The 49ers learned that the hard way in 2023 when they traded for Chase Young. He ended up being a bit of a disappointment, so sometimes bigger isn't always better in trades.
The proposed trade would not be a blockbuster, but it would be a nice depth move and a friendly act of charity from Ryans to his former team.
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