RELATED
After signing Javon Hargrave to partner with Arik Armstead in the interior, could the Niners trade for a pass rusher to complement the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year? Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports seems to think so.
Last week, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated speculated that the Washington Commanders might consider trading former No. 2 overall pick Chase Young. The Commanders declined to exercise the 24-year-old defensive end's fifth-year option, with defensive linemen Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen earning significant money. That means Young is entering the final year of his rookie deal.
That's where Benjamin believes the 49ers come in. He named the Bay Area team among seven organizations that seem like "logical suitors" for Bosa's former Ohio State teammate (h/t Peter Panacy of Niners Noise for the find).
"Nick Bosa is about to command lucrative money as the headliner of their pass-rushing group," wrote Benjamin, "and they just paid a fortune for Javon Hargrave to join the interior, but after losing both Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu in free agency, they could stand to add depth off the edge. San Francisco relies so much on its 'D' while sticking to the ground on offense, so John Lynch might be willing to bet on the long-term upside."
Benjamin also names the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears as hypothetical suitors.
OverTheCap.com lists the 49ers with nearly $10.7 million in salary cap space. As Panacy notes in his column, Young is slated to earn almost $11 million this season. However, a team acquiring him would only be responsible for $5.32 million.
Young has missed 22 games in the two seasons following his 7.5-sack rookie campaign in 2020.
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Where does 49ers' Mac Jones rank among NFL backup QBs by trade value?
Mac Jones saved the San Francisco 49ers' season in 2025. That wasn't a statement any fan expected to hear before last season began. But it happened. And it's not an overreaction. Starting QB Brock Purdy missed eight games in 2025. And Jones filled in admirably, going 5-3, and... -
Two 49ers named among NFL's most underrated players
Pro Football and Sports Network's (PFSN) Jacob Infante highlighted 12 of the NFL's most underrated players from the 2025 season, and the list included two San Francisco 49ers contributors. Infante utilized PFSN's Impact Scoring metric, which assigns a numerical value to... -
Why NFL.com believes the 49ers could dethrone the Seahawks in 2026
NFL.com analyst Dan Parr recently ranked eight teams capable of dethroning the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks in 2026, placing the San Francisco 49ers fifth on the list. Parr noted that sharing the NFC West with Seattle strengthens San Francisco's case, as the division... -
Stats breakdown shows why 49ers' Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy remain elite
Every year, especially at draft time and heading into the season, fans are treated to a lot of potentially unfamiliar vocabulary. Three-technique or five-technique. This or that cornerback can or cannot flip his hips quickly. Statisticians have more categories than ever, even...