The San Francisco 49ers have managed to stay atop the NFC West through seven weeks despite major injuries, including losing Fred Warner and Nick Bosa for the season.
With these key players out, San Francisco is expected to be active at the trade deadline to add pass-rushing help. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer highlighted Trey Hendrickson of the Cincinnati Bengals as a player to watch, along with four other potential targets.
Breer also mentioned Bradley Chubb and Jaelen Phillips from the Dolphins, Jermaine Johnson from the Jets, and Arden Key from the Titans. Key is particularly interesting because of his prior experience with the 49ers and his affordability in terms of money and trade compensation, though he is currently dealing with a quad injury.
The 49ers’ next game is against the Houston Texans, where they are likely to pressure quarterback C.J. Stroud and exploit a struggling offensive line. Adding an edge rusher before the deadline could help San Francisco maintain its lead in the division.
