The San Francisco 49ers were one of the NFL’s more active teams heading toward the November 10 trade deadline, adding a pair of veteran starters from the Indianapolis Colts: defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and wide receiver Keenan Allen.
Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport believes the 49ers left the most important trade on the table, putting a move for Houston Texans edge rusher Danielle Hunter at the top of his list of deadline trades that should have happened but didn’t.
In this scenario, it would have been pricey for the 49ers — a 2027 2nd-round pick and a 2028 5th-round pick.
“At 7-1, San Francisco has the best record in the NFC. But the team’s pass rush has been hit-or-miss this year,” Davenport wrote on Friday. “The team has just 15 sacks this season — only four NFL teams have fewer. With $35.5 million in cap space, per Spotrac, San Francisco has the wiggle room to absorb Hunter’s sizable contract. He has just four sacks in eight games this year, but in four straight seasons from 2022 to 2025 the five-time Pro Bowler recorded at least 10.5 sacks. Pairing Hunter with Nick Bosa on the edge could have turned San Francisco’s biggest defensive weakness into a strength. While losing Hunter would have been a blow to the Texans, trading him could have helped them recoup the draft capital they spent on Harrison.”
Danielle Hunter Still Thriving in Early 30s
Hunter, 6-foot-5 and 263 pounds, is the rare genetic freak who has continued to thrive into his early 30s, and in his age-32 season, he still has a chance at a fifth consecutive season with double-digit sacks.
Want more evidence Hunter is a freak? With another double-digit sack season, the 2015 3rd-round pick out of LSU by the Minnesota Vikings would have 8 double-digit sack seasons in his career. That includes just 6.0 sacks as a rookie reserve in 2015 and missing all but 7 games in 2020 and 2021 due to injuries.
He’s been paid accordingly. The 1-year, $40 million contract extension he signed on March 6 will bring his career earnings to approximately $220.5 million following the 2027 season.
49ers Can’t Rely on Current Edge Rushers
On paper, the 49ers should have a pair of elite edge rushers in 2025: 1st-round pick Mykel Williams and 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa.
That’s simply not the case. Both Williams and Bosa are coming off torn ACLs suffered in the 2025 season, and both have missed multiple games with injuries this season. Williams missed the first five games while recuperating from his injury and has just 1.0 sack in four games.
Bosa missed six games with a calf injury that sprung up after the season-opening win over the Rams in Melbourne, Australia, and has zero sacks in three games.
49ers Missed Out on Deadline Trade for $220 Million Edge Rusher