Last season at the trade deadline, everyone wondered if the San Francisco 49ers were going to make a big splash for an edge rusher at the trade deadline. They didn't, as general manager John Lynch decided that the price would have been too high.
It was a fair calculation and one could argue Lynch made a prudent decision, but given how San Francisco was simply unable to get any sort of pressure on the quarterback last season, one cannot help but wish the Niners had done a little more.
The 49ers were not just one edge rusher away from a championship, as they were trying to plug up holes all over the roster caused by injuries when the season crash-ended in Seattle. But yet again this offseason, the Niners are looking to add an edge rusher, and a guy they were rumored to have interest in at the deadline, Jaelan Phillips, has landed with the Carolina Panthers.
The Philadelphia Eagles acquired Phillips from the Miami Dolphins for a third-round pick. He played well for Philly as he has two sacks in eight games, but now he will be playing in Carolina on a four-year, $120 million deal.
That exorbitant contract shows that free-agent edge rushers are going to come at a premium this offseason. While the Niners probably would have balked at that sort of price tag on Phillips, Lynch had a chance to grab a guy they could have gotten at the deadline and didn't do it.
There is still a chance for Lynch to get a big fish, though.
Trey Hendrickson, another name the 49ers were connected to a lot in trade rumors last season, is a free agent as well. He will likely command even more than what Phillips got, so it's unclear if the 49ers would even be willing to pony up that much.
Maybe San Francisco will decide to not go after a big edge rusher, justifying it by pointing to the return of Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, who both tore their ACL last season.
The 49ers could add an edge rusher in the NFL Draft, potentially even in the first round now that the Mike Evans deal removes the need to draft a receiver in the first round.
Still, it would have been nice to land a premier player who can sack the quarterback, but maybe that's just not in the cards for the 49ers right now.