The San Francisco 49ers find themselves in an interesting position ahead of the 2025 NFL trade deadline. The team has fought through a host of injuries to find itself sitting at 5-3 eight games into the season. San Francisco has been aggressive at the deadline before and needs to take a similar approach to recognize success down the stretch.
After going 6-11 in 2024, the 49ers are in a much better position as the midway point of the 2025 season approaches. They still have a legitimate hope to make a deep playoff run, but they need to act quickly to make that a possibility.
The 49ers have been severely handicapped all season but have still managed the 13th-best record in the NFL. Although it expects Brock Purdy and Ricky Pearsall back on the field soon, San Francisco has already ruled Nick Bosa and Fred Warner out for the rest of the season. The team has also yet to debut star wideout Brandon Aiyuk, who continues to rehab a torn ACL and MCL.
San Francisco has trade assets to spare and is clearly not afraid to pull the trigger. General manager John Lynch held nothing back by trading Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders in the offseason before acquiring running back Brian Robinson Jr. He could do the same with previously disgruntled stars Jauan Jennings, George Kittle or Aiyuk.
Until they get more players back, the 49ers do not currently appear to be near Super Bowl title contention, but that could change with the right moves at the 2025 NFL trade deadline.
49ers need to add pass-rush help at 2025 NFL trade deadline
If there is one area the 49ers are blatantly struggling in, it is rushing the passer. San Francisco is among the worst in the league at getting to the quarterback, which has directly affected the team's pass defense.
Without Bosa, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 3, the 49ers have just nine sacks through eight games, tied for second-fewest in the league. San Francisco's 3.23 percent sack rate is also the second-lowest in the NFL.
Considering how aggressive Robert Saleh can be with his defensive play calls, the 49ers' uncharacteristically poor pass rush has negatively impacted his entire approach. As a result, San Francisco ranks 22nd in passing yards allowed and 21st in opponent completion percentage.
Luckily, the pass-rusher market is one of the most abundant ahead of the 2025 trade deadline. Cincinnati Bengals' disgruntled star Trey Hendrickson is the biggest fish in the sea, though he comes with a hefty price tag. The New York Giants' Kayvon Thibodeaux is a much cheaper option who could be just as effective, while the Miami Dolphins' Jaelan Phillips and the New York Jets' Jermaine Johnson provide other budget options.
With Bosa under contract with the team through the 2028 season, Hendrickson appears to be an unrealistic target. However, Thibodeaux, who has an 11.5-sack season to his name, is a viable target who would significantly improve the 49ers' defense.
Whether it is Hendrickson, Thibodeaux or someone else, Lynch cannot wake up on Nov. 5 without a new pass-rusher on his team.
John Lynch has to supplement linebacker corps
Acquiring a serviceable pass-rusher should be priority No. 1, but the 49ers also need to consider adding linebacker help. The team has been significantly shorthanded at the second level without Warner, whose absence created a massive hole that remains unfilled.
The linebacker market is not as robust, but San Francisco desperately needs reinforcements. Despite holding up without Warner over the last two weeks, the 49ers are operating with a banged-up Dee Winters as their top linebacker, with Tatum Bethune, Luke Gifford, Nick Martin and Curtis Robinson rounding out the group.
Winters currently leads the team with 54 tackles, but Gifford, Martin and Robinson have only combined for 31 tackles on the year.
There is no Hendrickson-like player on the market, nor is there a Pro Bowl-caliber linebacker like Thibodeaux whose name has been brought up ahead of the deadline. However, a potentially intriguing candidate arose over the last week when Logan Wilson requested a trade from the Cincinnati Bengals.
Wilson requested a trade after losing snaps to rookies Demetrius Knight Jr. and Barrett Carter. The move came as a surprise after the 29-year-old anchored the Bengals' defense for the better part of six years.
The 49ers should be among the top teams reaching out to the Bengals for Wilson, who is the top linebacker available at the 2025 NFL trade deadline. Pairing him with Winters would not fill the massive void Warner left behind, but it would soften the blow and help prevent potential depth issues down the line.
49ers secondary needs improvement
The 49ers' secondary concerns are almost as pressing as their lack of a pass-rushing presence. Although it is not yet an urgent issue, it has become a significant enough concern that Lynch should address it by the deadline.
Losing Charvarius Ward and Talanoa Hufanga clearly had an impact on the once-elite 49ers' secondary. San Francisco finds itself ranking in the bottom half of the league in passing yards allowed, opponent completion percentage and opponent yards per pass.
The 49ers' secondary is not atrocious, but it is clearly one of the team's biggest weaknesses. Part of the issue is experience, with one rookie and two second-year players starting on the back end. Lynch can address that ahead of the trade deadline by acquiring one of the several notable players potentially available.
The Seattle Seahawks appear to own the top trade asset, with the team reportedly shopping Pro Bowl cornerback Riq Woolen. The 26-year-old has struggled somewhat in 2025, sparking rumors that he is no longer part of head coach Mike Macdonald's long-term plans.
The 49ers should target Woolen if he is indeed available at the 2025 NFL trade deadline. ESPN insiders Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler also identified the New Orleans Saints' Alontae Taylor, the Tennessee Titans' Roger McCreary Jr., the Denver Broncos' Ja'Quan McMillian and the Cincinnati Bengals' Cam Taylor-Britt as potential trade pieces.
San Francisco needs to focus on its bigger needs of adding pass-rushing and linebacker help, but an additional cornerback or safety would not hurt. Either way, Lynch has to be busy working the phones over the next week if the 49ers want to return to title contention in 2025.
