The NFL Trade Deadline is just one day away, and the San Francisco 49ers’ biggest need may have become an even bigger priority over the weekend after defensive end Mykel Williams tore his ACL against the New York Giants.
Prior to the injury, the 49ers already had depth concerns at the position after Nick Bosa tore his ACL earlier in the year, and Yetur Gross-Matos re-aggravated a hamstring injury that placed him back on Injured Reserve before even playing a game. Additionally, pass-rusher Bryce Huff missed another week with a hamstring injury of his own.
But, Williams’s injury is a huge blow for the 49ers in both the short term and the long term as they lose out on another starter, while the first-round pick’s development will now have a setback.
San Francisco has been monitoring the trade market for a pass-rusher, even after acquiring defensive lineman Keion White from the New England Patriots, and that move makes even more sense now after the Williams news.
At 6-3, the 49ers are firmly in the playoff race, so win-now moves are still an option despite the heavy load of injuries this season. But, who could they look to get?
One name that has gotten a lot of traction has been Cincinnati Bengals defensive end Trey Hendrickson. Before the Bengals’ 47-42 loss to the Chicago Bears this weekend, FOX’s Jay Glazer reported that Cincinnati is now more willing to listen to offers on the star pass-rusher ahead of the deadline.
“They did say no originally,” Glazer said about the Bengals listening on trade offers for Hendrickson on Sunday. “And then the last couple days, a bunch of GMs said, ‘Hey, you better check this out, because now they’re saying yes to us.’ Whether or not they can get what they’re looking for, I don’t know about that, but it seemed like a hard no about a week or so ago, and now it’s not.”
Sitting at 3-6, that could very well become a reality by Sunday.
The 49ers have been mentioned as the team showing the most interest in a Hendrickson trade, so it seems they’re not afraid of making a splash. But, the price is a first-round pick right now, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini.
“League sources say the Bengals are still asking for a first-round pick in any deal for Trey Hendrickson at this time,” Russini tweeted on Monday morning. “The trade deadline arrives in just over 28 hours, and teams are continuing to call Cincinnati about a number of their players. For now, prices remain high.”
Hendrickson is a free agent at the end of the year, so a first-round pick for a rental seems out of the question for the 49ers. But, Russini also reported teams are hoping that asking price lowers by tomorrow’s deadline.
“Trey Hendrickson becomes a free agent at the end of the year. Teams calling the Bengals inquiring about a trade are hopeful that Cincinnati will lower its asking price for a deal to get done between now and 4 p.m. ET tomorrow, sources say,” Russini added.
The 49ers need help. And they’ve been actively looking at several trade candidates, according to reports. If that’s Trey Hendrickson, however, it looks like the cost will be high.
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