When the San Francisco 49ers were the dominant force in the NFC back in 2019, their success largely hinged on the laurels of their defensive, specifically a stout defensive line under then-coordinator Robert Saleh.
Yes, the Niners made plenty of efforts to get back to that during the 2025 offseason, including bringing Saleh back and then using three of their first five picks in the NFL Draft on D-linemen, including the No. 11 overall selection on defensive end Mykel Williams. And then Saleh pressured his team into trading for former New York Jets and Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Bryce Huff.
Paired with All-Pro Nick Bosa, those moves may help transform San Francisco's D-line into a top-caliber unit over time.
But there's one home-run kind of move the 49ers could try executing to truly put them over the top and into legitimate Super Bowl contention.
All-in 49ers trade for Trey Hendrickson would be a 'Super Bowl or bust' move
Whoa.
OK, I get it. Unlike the messy (and laughable) meltdown between the Dallas Cowboys and now-Green Bay Packers linebacker Micah Parsons, which ultimately led to him being traded to the latter squad on the eve of the regular season, the Cincinnati Bengals and four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Trey Hendrickson ultimately came to an amicable conclusion.
Sure, the 31-year-old pass-rusher wanted a lengthy extension as he enters a contract year.
But Cincy didn't budge on that front, instead offering a revised contract and pay raise that goes for $29 million, $20 million of which is guaranteed. And he's still scheduled to be a free agent in 2026.
Now, there's a long way to go before Cincinnati decides whether or not Hendrickson would be on the trade block, and there's equally as long for the Niners to determine whether or not Williams and/or Huff are ideal pass-rushing partners to Bosa.
That said, if the Bengals are scuffling in advance of the NFL trade deadline, and San Francisco feels the urge to land a top-end talent like Hendrickson no matter what, a trade could feasibly happen.
With nearly $28 million in cap space to begin Week 1, the 49ers could afford Hendrickson's post-trade salary with room to spare, while netting a player who tallied 17.5 sacks in each of the last two seasons.
Imagine that kind of production opposite Bosa. Saleh would be pleased, even if the veteran All-Pro acquisition would be little more than a rental for the rest of 2025 before hitting the open market.
True, Cincy's asking price would likely be steep, and the Parsons deal -- two first-round picks and a starting player -- might serve as a mere floor for where to begin negotiations.
However, if the Niners wanted to get back to that D-line first modus operandi, a "swing for the fences" kind of move like trying to land Hendrickson in-season would check the box.