The 2025 NFL trade ddeadline came and went without too much hoopla from the San Francisco 49ers.
Many thought the Niners would go after a blue-chip edge rusher after losing defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams for the season, both to a torn ACLs. There were several stellar pass-rushers on selling teams that looked to be ready for a rebuild.
The 49ers did make a trade with the New England Patriots to get defensive end Keion White. However, that wasn't the big splashy move many thought they would make to improve their pass rush.
White, although he could provide some depth on the defensive line and perhaps become a double-digit sack guy, is not there yet.
After a horrendous 42-26 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 10, in which the Niners were not able to get any pressure on opposing quarterback Matthew Stafford, they have to do some soul-searching on how to right this ship.
That would leave the 49ers with the option to seek out an edge rusher from the available free agent pool, and there is one seasoned veteran who hasn't played since 2024 and could offer at least a boost to an injury-riddled defensive line.
Yannick Ngakoue is a low-risk, high-reward target for 49ers
That player is 10-year veteran defensive end, Yannick Ngakoue. He last appeared for the Pats in 2024.
After failing to log a sack after six games in 2024, the Patriots wound up cutting Ngakoue.
While he may be a far cry from his 2017 Pro Bowl campaign with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Ngakoue could still provide some additional pass-rush support for a unit that is suffering, and having some veteran prowess among a primarily young crop of defensive linemen wouldn't hurt matters either.
The Niners could likely sign Ngakoue to a one-year deal which could offer a low-risk, high-reward payoff.
Although Bosa's impact can't fully be replaced, signing a veteran like Ngakoue could breath some life into a defensive line that is currently searching for answers.