The San Francisco 49ers made a late move ahead of the 1 p.m. trade deadline, acquiring defensive tackle Khalil Davis from the Houston Texans in exchange for a 2026 seventh-round draft pick. Dianna Russini of The Athletic first reported the transaction.
The Texans are trading DT Khalil Davis to the 49ers in exchange for a 2026 7th-round pick, per source. pic.twitter.com/LoXzReQHx4
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) November 5, 2024
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Davis (6-1, 308) out of Nebraska in the sixth round (No. 194 overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. This season, he has registered nine tackles, including four for a loss, two quarterback hits, and a sack through nine game appearances with the Texans, playing 32 percent of the defensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference.
Davis, 28, has accumulated 43 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 10 quarterback hits, three sacks, two passes defensed, and a forced fumble across 27 games (one start) during his career with the Buccaneers, Indianapolis Colts, and Texans.
The move bolsters an interior defensive line that lost defensive tackle Javon Hargrave for the season due to a partially torn triceps. However, there remains hope that Hargrave could return if the 49ers make another deep playoff run.
While this isn't a headline-grabbing acquisition, the 49ers remain focused on building strength from within, counting on key players returning from injury for the season's final stretch.
This week, the team opened the practice window for running back Christian McCaffrey, who has yet to make his 2024 debut due to Achilles tendinitis. Wide receiver Jauan Jennings also resumed practice after missing two games with a hip injury. Additionally, defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and linebacker Dre Greenlaw are expected to contribute in the season's second half.
"There's a lot of really good players that we can get back to strengthen this team," general manager John Lynch stated last week. "And we loved our team coming into the season. Not where we want to be. We're 4-4, but we've got a lot in front of us, and we're just going to take it week by week. And one thing this team has shown the ability under [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] to do is get better throughout the course of the season and play our best ball when it matters most."
The 49ers now shift their focus to Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium, aiming to climb above .500 following their 4-4 start.