Sportsnaut
The San Francisco 49ers will look to bolster their defense ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline after losing edge rusher Nick Bosa for the year to a torn ACL. And, according to one insider, the team might already have someone in mind.
According to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the 49ers are expected to reach out to the Cincinnati Bengals about All-Pro Trey Hendrickson.
“San Francisco is canvassing the pass rusher market to fill the void left by Nick Bosa’s injury. I expect them to call Cincinnati about Trey Hendrickson,” Russini reports.
The 49ers are 4-1 while the Bengals are circling the drain at 2-3 after losing Joe Burrow until at least December with a toe injury. Cincinnati traded for quarterback Joe Flacco earlier in the week, and he will start Sunday against the Green Bay Packers on the road.
San Francisco’s defense hasn’t been the same without Bosa. According to NFL analyst Mike Urtaza, the 49ers allowed just 265.7 yards and 16.3 points per game with a 34.6% pressure rate and averaged nearly two sacks per contest in the first three weeks of the season.
But after Bosa went down in Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals, the numbers have plummeted. In the 49ers’ next two games, the defense has given up 390.5 yards and 24.5 points per game with just a 17.5% pressure rate while averaging half a sack.
How much does Nick Bosa matter to the 49ers’ defense?
With him (Weeks 1-3):
• 265.7 yards allowed per game
• 1.7 sacks per game
• 34.6% pressure rate
• 16.3 points allowed per gameWithout him (Weeks 4-5):
• 390.5 yards allowed
• 0.5 sacks per game
•… pic.twitter.com/XrLhnQsBgC— Mike Urtaza (@urtazablue) October 9, 2025
Acquiring a player of Hendrickson’s caliber would immediately elevate their defense. Pro Football Focus ranks Hendrickson as the 11th-best edge rusher in the game. Through five games, the four-time Pro Bowler has four sacks, eight quarterback hits and one forced fumble.
Hendrickson was in a contract dispute with the Bengals during the offseason and conducted a sit-in before agreeing to a restructured one-year, $30 million deal that will make him a free agent after the season. With Cincinnati’s season going nowhere and Hendrickson likely to leave in free agency, the Bengals are expected to move him for draft assets.
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