Niners Nation
We have a couple of names in mind that could improve the 49ers roster
Tuesday officially marks the NFL’s trade deadline. Teams have until 1:00 p.m. PT to finalize all transactions.
We asked if you thought the San Francisco 49ers should be buyers at the deadline and at what position. We’ve also come up with eight trade targets as well as four who could jumpstart the pass rush.
Today, rumors will be flying everywhere, so we’ll update you with anything that might interest the Niners.
On The Rich Eisen Show, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero brought up three pass rushers, but one name that we haven’t covered in the past week:
“There’s certainly going to be interest in guys like Bryce Huff, who was one of the Eagles’ big free agent signings, played all of six snaps yesterday after apparently getting his hand banged up in warmups or something. That’s a name that I think is going to get some potential action.”
We thought Huff would be an ideal fit as a part-time pass rusher before he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles during free agency.
In 2023, Huff’s winning percentage as a pass rusher was third in the NFL and one percentage point better than Nick Bosa’s. The thought was you could extrapolate Huff’s production with more snaps, but that hasn’t been the case. That number is down to 11.2 percent in 2024, as Huff has only one sack all season and has seen his snap count decrease each week since Week 4.
Head coach Nick Sirianni said that Huff had a hand injury that was bothering him, and the Eagles were “trying to protect him.” Huff’s first snap didn’t happen until the second quarter. They were trying to protect Huff, but Sirianni couldn’t say the quiet part out loud.
Playing the run has always been a concern for Huff, and that’s been an issue this season. It’s likely why the 49ers didn’t pursue him last offseason, which could be why they steered clear before the trade deadline.
Pelssero also brought up Za’Darius Smith of the Cleveland Browns and Azeez Ojulari of the New York Giants. Smith has been traded to the Lions.
To me, the defensive lineman who fits the 49ers culture the most on the market is Calais Campbell. He gives it his all on each snap. Against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Campbell hustled to tackle Josh Allen 15 yards down the field on a scramble. Campbell is excellent against the run and still has enough juice as a pass rusher. Campbell’s intangibles and leadership should make him a top priority for the Niners.
The New Orleans Saints could have a fire sale after letting go of head coach Dennis Allen. One name that could intrigue the 49ers is linebacker Demario Davis. In 2023, Davis was the only linebacker to allow a lower EPA when targeted than Fred Warner.
He’s 35, but he’s an upgrade from De’Vondre Campbell — who had his best game as a Niner...
