The San Francisco 49ers might be one of the most hurt teams in the league, but gritty and tough play has kept the team at a first-place 4-1 record. It is clear this team is special, and their player reinforcements should be coming soon.
Despite missing many offensive players, the 49ers are also looking to bolster their defense. According to NFL insider Dianna Russini, San Francisco will aim to bolster their pass rush with an All-Pro talent.
The 49ers lost a massive pass rusher when Nick Bosa suffered a season-ending ACL injury. With Bosa out, that leaves a clear void on the team’s defense. That said, San Francisco could look to a formally disgruntled All-Pro defensive end.
“San Francisco is canvassing the pass rusher market to fill the void left by Nick Bosa's injury. I expect them to call Cincinnati about Trey Hendrickson,” Russini writes.
Hendrickson remains with the Cincinnati Bengals after a months-long holdout that led to his requesting a trade. After months of speculation that he would be traded, that never transpired.
Instead, the Bengals gave Hendrickson a one-year $30 million deal that would lead to him being an unrestricted free agent in 2026. The 49ers could easily offer to take on Hendrickson’s contract while giving Cincinnati some draft capital as well.
Hendrickson secured 17.5 sacks in 2023 and 2024, leading to his wanting a new contract. He also has four sacks through five games this year. He is clearly a special talent on a Bengals team that is sinking.
With Joe Burrow potentially out for another month or so, the Bengals are struggling to win games. They traded for Joe Flacco to help stop the bleeding, but he has had his own struggles in 2025.
Should the Bengals deem this season to be a lost cause by the time the trade deadline comes around, the 49ers could be in a good place to steal Hendrickson away.
The 49ers are in the middle ground of allowing 207.6 passing yards per game and 108.0 rushing yards per game. The team has been able to handle its own, but Hendrickson could help turn Robert Saleh’s defense into an even more powerful unit.
At 4-1, San Francisco is a few pieces away from being a true contender. Once George Kittle, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, and Brandon Aiyuk all get healthy, this team could be a big Super Bowl favorite. That is especially true if they land an All-Pro talent like Hendrickson.
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