Blockbuster 49ers Trade: San Francisco Lands Game-Changing Star Before Deadline

The San Francisco 49ers enter Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET NFL trade deadline facing a perfect storm of injuries, cap flexibility and championship expectations. General manager John Lynch has never shied away from a bold 49ers trade, and the fan base is loudly urging another splash—this time on the defensive line. Injury crisis fuels urgency Nick Bosa’s season-ending ACL tear was bad enough, but the subsequent loss of first-round rookie Mykel Williams and nagging ailments to Yetur Gross-Matos and Bryce Huff have stripped the edge-rush rotation to the bone. Through nine games the 49ers rank 23rd in pressure rate, a stunning fall for a unit that finished third a year ago. No surprise, then, that 71 percent of surveyed fans want the next 49ers trade to target a pass rusher. Top 49ers trade targets to watch • Trey Hendrickson, Bengals EDGE – Cincinnati is listening, but reports peg the price at a 2026 first-round pick plus a mid-round sweetener. Hendrickson’s 9.5 sacks and two-year control would instantly stabilize the 49ers’ front four. • Jermaine Johnson, Jets EDGE – Younger and cheaper, the 2022 first-rounder carries three years of team control but may require parting with WR depth or a Day-2 pick. • Bradley Chubb, Dolphins EDGE – Miami needs cap relief; restructuring Chubb’s deal could let the 49ers squeeze him in without gutting future drafts. • Andrew Van Ginkel, Falcons LB/EDGE – A lower-cost rotational option who brings special-teams value. Cap math favors action San Francisco sits on roughly $9 million in usable cap space after recent restructures, enough to absorb Hendrickson’s prorated $12.5 million hit if Cincinnati retains a portion of salary. The 49ers also own 11 picks in the 2026 draft, giving Lynch the flexibility to outbid contenders such as the Jaguars and Ravens. What a blockbuster means for the roster • Depth chart ripple – Acquiring a top-flight edge would push Drake Jackson into a situational role and allow Steve Wilks to move Randy Gregory inside on passing downs. • Long-term calculus – Lynch extended cornerstone pieces early (Brock Purdy and Brandon Aiyuk), creating a two-year championship window before another round of big contracts. Overpaying now lines up with that timeline. • Locker-room jolt – Players openly lobbied for reinforcements after the Week 8 loss, and a high-profile 49ers trade could mirror the 2023 Christian McCaffrey acquisition that galvanized the offense. Don’t rule out offensive tweaks Insiders still mention veteran slot receiver Jakobi Meyers and interior-line depth as fallback options if the edge market overheats. But given Kyle Shanahan’s faith in his top-ranked scoring attack, defensive line remains priority No. 1. Historical precedent Since Lynch took over in 2017 the 49ers have executed seven deadline deals, including last year’s Keion White swap with New England and the landmark 2023 McCaffrey trade. Only once has the franchise stood pat at the deadline. Bottom line The 49ers’ Super Bowl hopes hinge on restoring a pass rush that can close games in January. With surplus draft capital and cap space, all signs point to at least one significant 49ers trade before the clock strikes four. Whether it’s Trey Hendrickson or a surprise name, expect Lynch to be among the busiest executives on deadline day—and for the Faithful to exhale only when another edge rusher is wearing red and gold.