The San Francisco 49ers need to bolster their pass rush after recording only 20 sacks during the 2025 NFL season. Now, injuries played a major role in impacting this number, with Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams suffering season-ending injuries.
Nonetheless, can the 49ers swing for the fences and land a premier pass rusher to turn their defense into one that the opposing quarterback feels uncomfortable throughout the game?
With the offseason underway for the Niners, the trade speculation is ongoing with ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reporting in an article published on Feb. 7 that San Francisco are one of five teams having an interest in Las Vegas Raiders star Maxx Crosby.
“The reality is the Raiders are still far away from significant winning, and the trade interest in Crosby is incredibly robust,” Fowler wrote. “In fact, I believe more than a dozen teams, possibly up to 20, will at least inquire with levels of serious intent.
“And there are some natural would-be contenders, including the Bills, Lions, 49ers, Cowboys and Ravens. One team that typically doesn’t jump in these high-stakes waters but would be perfect to try: the Buccaneers. This is the type of move that would put Tampa Bay over the top.”
49ers Urged to Pursue Elite Pass Rusher
Moreover, people outside of the 49ers believe that the team needs to swing for the fences to land a pass rusher. While speaking to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, former NFL player Shawne Merriman believes that San Francisco need to go for a home-run trade to land an edge rusher, either the Cleveland Browns’ Myles Garrett or Crosby.
“If I’m the San Francisco 49ers this offseason, I’m going to take a run at Myles Garrett; I’m taking a run at Maxx Crosby [and] I’m taking a run at these guys because they’re an instant upgrade,” Merriman told Maiocco in a video posted on Feb. 3.
“Nick Bosa comes back and nobody’s going to know how it is because what, his second or third injury now? I’ve been there, and after enough injuries you’re not the same player. I’m not saying this is going to be the case with him, but there should be some level of concern from the San Francisco 49ers front office on how he’s going to come back.”
Maxx Crosby Sets Record Straight on Trade Rumors
Nonetheless, amid the speculation, Crosby broke his silence on the matter during a Feb. 6 appearance on “The Herd.”
“It’s funny,” Crosby told host Colin Cowherd. “I’m glad you brought it up, because it’s like, damn if you do, damn if you don’t. For me, in the past, I’ve learned that being too vocal and too involved with trying to make, I want this coach, or I want this. I’ve learned my lessons, and I’ve learned from that. That’s not my job…
“But you can’t control everything. I’ve learned that. Now that I’m quiet, now I’ve got random people making big statements for me. They’re like, ‘Oh, Maxx must have told them this.’ For me, I just sit back and laugh, because I know my truth. When I go to bed at night, I have a smile on my face because I don’t have to explain nothing to nobody.”
49ers Receive Huge Maxx Crosby News Amid Lions, Bills Link