Why 49ers Didn't Trade for Khalil Mack at Deadline

The San Francisco 49ers were reportedly one of the teams most interested in adding edge rusher Khalil Mack at the trade deadline. However, the team did not want to put up the draft capital to make it happen. The team likely did that because they are interested in seeing how the depth chart progresses.

Why San Francisco 49ers Did Not Trade for Khalil Mack

The team just got Nick Bosa back in Week 9. While he did not make a huge impact in his first game back, he was out since Week 2, so it was going to take some time to shake off the rust. Bosa recorded two pressures.

Former first-round pick Mykel Williams would be the one to lose the most snaps if the team added Mack. Williams went 11th overall last year, tore his ACL as a rookie, and recorded a sack in his second game back. He has only played in four games and is 22 years old. The team is going to bet on him continuing to get better.

As for the depth behind him, Romello Height would go from a third rusher to a potential inactive if they added Mack. The third-round rookie has been up-and-down as a pass rush specialist, but has flashed with 11 pressures as a rookie.

The 49ers could add Mack and stall the growth of two of their promising draft picks on the defensive line. They debated it, but did not want to pay a lot of draft capital for that.

Lastly, the team has Keion White. Putting all past accolades aside, White has 20 pressures and 3.5 sacks on his 217 pass rush snaps this year. He also has ten stops against the run. Mack has 19 pressures and three sacks on 191 pass rush snaps. He has 11 run stops.

Mack is 35, and White is about to be 28. They are on similar contract structures. While fans would love for Mack to replace White, the 49ers know White and how he fits specifically into the defense. They did not feel they had to go out of their way to force him out during one of his better years.

The 49ers' edge rusher room has not been healthy all season, and Height has been inconsistent as a rookie. So on paper, this is a major need. However, they have two veterans, including a star, and two young names, including a high-end draft pick. They did not want to add Mack.

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