The San Francisco 49ers have been dealing with injuries to some of their top players through the first month of the 2025 NFL season, but remain atop the NFC West at 4-1. But in order to compete and maintain their winning ways, they may have to make a trade before the early November deadline, and acquiring a pass rusher could be priority number one.
NFL Trade Rumors: Are 49ers In The Market For A Pass Rusher?
They had already been bitten by the injury bug before Nick Bosa went down. Pass catchers like Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle were ruled out for extended periods early in the year, and Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall have been in and out of the lineup.
The 49ers have also had their highly-paid starting quarterback play in just two of the first five games while dealing with a toe injury.
49ers trade idea
49ers receive:
Trey HendricksonBengals receive:
2026 third-round pick
2026 fourth-round pickWho says no? pic.twitter.com/pARxUa1Xet
— Coach Yac 🗣 (@Coach_Yac) September 22, 2025
They’ve managed to stay afloat despite the ailments, but the loss of Bosa could prove detrimental down the stretch. In the two full games that Bosa has missed, San Francisco has notched just one sack.
The 49ers don’t have the depth at the pass rushing positions to be able to mask him absence throughout the season and during a potential playoff run, meaning that they are considered big players on the trade market before the November deadline.
Trey Hendrickson Could Be A Top Target For SF
Could Trey Hendrickson be one of their targets? The league leader in sacks from a season ago (17.5) had a messy contract negotiation with the Cincinnati Bengals during the offseason, which didn’t result in a new deal. The player was even given permission to seek a trade back in March, but failed to find a partner.
Now, with a handful of teams desperate to fill voids in their pass rush, the trade market for Hendrickson could be given new life. Teams around the NFL like the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions have been mentioned in rumors in recent weeks, but they may not have the desperation that San Francisco does.
In the 49ers' first game without Nick Bosa, their defense had no sacks and no QB hits for the first time in a game since Sept. 20, 2015, against the Steelers.
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) September 28, 2025
The 49ers are an obvious contender with an obvious void at one of the most important positions on the field, and Hendrickson could be a main target in the coming weeks.
The Bengals are 2-3 after a three game losing streak following the injury to Joe Burrow, but Hendrickson has been productive. He has four sacks through the first five games, and has eight quarterback hits. He forced a fumble during Cincinnati’s most recent game against Detroit.
