Two under-the-radar pass rushers the 49ers may show trade interest in

Trey Hendrickson isn't the only option.

Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers appear to be sniffing around the edge rusher market as we get near the trade deadline. John Lynch admitted that the team would make the necessary calls given their record, and multiple reports have suggested this is the position Lynch is calling for. 

San Francisco 49ers are calling for an edge rusher

Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson (91). | Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

While there have been reports that San Francisco is looking for a big name, such as Trey Hendrickson, there have been some less heralded names tied to San Francisco as well. Ian Rapaport of NFL Network highlighted two names that are realistic, but may not catch the eyes of fans. 

49ers general manager John Lynch confirmed on local radio that his team is on the hunt for edge help after losing Nick Bosa for the rest of the season to a torn ACL. Pass rushing help might not be immediate, though, as teams with poor records often wait until closer to the deadline to deal a starter.
Among the edge players who have garnered interest are the Titans' Arden Key, the Dolphins' Bradley Chubb and the Packers' Kingsley Enagbare.

Ian Rapaport

To be fair to Rapaport, he mentioned Bradley Chubb, who would be a name that gets fans excited. However, Arden Key and Kingsley Enagbare are moves that may help the club, but not get fans purchasing Super Bowl tickets in conjunction with it.

Both moves would make sense, though. Arden Key is on an awful Titans team, and he is a free agent after this season. Key rushes from the edge, but often slides inside on pass-rushing downs, which is a great fit with what Robert Saleh is looking to do. Key did not play for the Saleh defense, but he did sign with the 49ers in 2021 and played a similar role. 

Enagbare does not have a sack this season, and he has 4.5 as a career-high. However, he is on a Green Bay team that had Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness before trading for Micah Parsons. This team has an influx of edge rusher talent, and it is hard to see them needing Enagbare. It would be good for Green Bay to trade their rusher to keep the door open into the future or give them another trade chip to add at another position.

Tennessee Titans linebacker Arden Key (49). | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Both players are fits, but both make the most sense because of the cost. Both players are going to be free agents after this season, and without much discussion around their names, the cost to acquire will likely be a day three, or even a potential pick swap. 

This gives San Francisco the ability to add to a position of need now without hurting their future salary cap and draft pick status. 

It may not be the game-changing decision that flips this team into Super Bowl favorites, but it does help a roster that needs it. Do not be surprised if the 49ers do end up in the edge rusher market, but the name is not as flashy.