49ers Should Sign This Edge Rusher With Romello Height Injured

It's time to be desperate.

Aug 13, 2026; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Romello Height (94) waits for the play to resume against the Tennessee Titans in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Stop me if you've heard this one before, but the 49ers have another player injured. This time, it is rookie edge rusher Romello Height.

Kyle Shanahan said that height "tweaked" his ankle, so it's nothing significant. He's not at risk of missing Week 1, but playing in the preseason finale is out of the question.

Still, Height's injury puts him under the microscope. He hasn't impressed at all or shown any encouraging signs in two preseason games.

Now that he'll miss practice time, his growth will slow down. With that said, the 49ers should strongly consider signing pass rusher Haason Reddick.

They've reached, or are close to reaching, a point of extreme desperation with their pass rush on the edge. Right now, there's no telling if Nick Bosa will be good to start the season.

That will make Height's impact moot. He cannot be the No. 1 edge rusher for the 49ers. He's never been able to do that. He's best suited as a complementary player.

He can be that complement to Reddick. It makes sense to add him after a few edge rushers have been signed recently. According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, teams are showing interest in Reddick.

Sources: 2x Pro Bowl OLB Haason Reddick has become the latest veteran pass-rusher drawing interest from teams after recent signings, including Von Miller to Dallas, Za’Darius Smith to Atlanta, and Derek Barnett to Cleveland.

The 31-year-old Reddick has 61.5 career sacks and… pic.twitter.com/WK3F8niuIQ

— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) August 25, 2026

Maybe the 49ers are one of them. They reportedly had interest in trading for Vita Vea before the Tampa Bay Buccaneers agreed to a contract extension with him.

The 49ers know they need a significant boost to their defensive front. Only rookie Gracen Halton has shown promise to step up from a pass-rushing standpoint.

Which means all the 49ers have are Bosa (assuming he's healthy), Osa Odighizuwa, and Halton. No one else has given the 49ers a reason to believe they will be effective against the pass this season.

Can the 49ers afford to wait for someone to step up? I don't think so. It depends if they believe they can put up 30 points with relative ease.

That's what it'll take to keep the desperation of their pass rush from overwhelming them. But why wait? I know Reddick isn't the most enticing pass rusher to add.

In fact, I had him listed as a player the 49ers should avoid in free agency. But that was five months ago. There's a fairly clear picture of what their edge-rushing department looks like now.

If the 49ers feel Reddick will be fine in the locker room, then they should bring him aboard, or at least strongly consider it.

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