Andrew Buller-Russ
While he may be coming off a down season, the San Francisco 49ers have one of the NFL’s best pass-rushers in Nick Bosa. Yet, even the one-time Defensive Player of the Year can’t be at his best all the time. That proved true last year, when Bosa was limited to just three games due to injury.
If anything, Bosa’s absence only strengthened the idea that the 49ers needed to prioritize getting another premier pass-rusher to complement their wounded star. Yet, 49ers general manager John Lynch instead placed a higher emphasis on reinforcing the defensive interior. San Francisco traded a third-round pick for Osa Odighizuwa and spent a fourth-round pick on defensive tackle Gracen Halton. But what about the edge rushers?
Well, the latest NFL rumor suggests that the 49ers haven’t given up hope.
According to Raiders insider Hondo Carpenter’s recent appearance on the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast, there are still two teams that are “nuclear hot” in pursuit of a Maxx Crosby trade. Those teams, according to Carpenter’s sources, are the Philadelphia Eagles and 49ers.
The Eagles traded two third-round picks in exchange for former Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard during the 2026 NFL Draft. One might think their recent acquisition could make them less desperate to trade for Crosby too. Yet, Eagles GM Howie Roseman should never be doubted when stars are available, and the team does have extra draft capital after trading A.J. Brown.
Meanwhile, the 49ers have long been rumored to have interest in adding competition in the edge rusher department. One name commonly linked to San Francisco is free agent pass rusher Joey Bosa. Yet, despite the connection to his younger brother Nick, the 49ers haven’t gotten Joey to team up in San Francisco.
Of course, the 49ers may prefer to give 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams as many chances as he can handle as he enters his second season. Williams, along with Keion White, has breakout potential. Yet, if the coaching staff isn’t happy with the in-house development seen from the competition at hand, perhaps a blockbuster trade or a big signing can’t be ruled out.
Related: Top NFL Free Agents Remaining: One Player Each Team Should Sign
