The 49ers’ pass rush could use another jolt, and one name that has surfaced is a familiar kind of trade chip: a former first-round edge rusher whose role has shrunk.
NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks pointed to Jets edge rusher Will McDonald IV as a possible candidate to move, noting that a change of scenery could help him while also giving a contender another piece for its defense. McDonald, a 2023 first-round pick, has seen his snaps trimmed since No. 2 overall pick David Bailey arrived and took over as the team’s designated pass rusher. That has pushed McDonald into more of a supporting role, which could make him available if the Jets decide draft capital is the better play.
The appeal is obvious. At 6-4 and 245 pounds, McDonald has shown enough juice to matter, piling up 23.5 career sacks and four forced fumbles in 54 games. Brooks suggested that a roster crowded with pass rushers could give GM Darren Mougey a reason to deal him and keep loading up on picks for the rebuild.
For San Francisco, the fit comes down to need. The edge group has been thin while Nick Bosa works back from a calf injury.
Bosa has played in only two games and has missed the last five, dating back to Week 3. On Tuesday, general manager John Lynch told KNBR that Bosa is “tracking well” to return after the bye week.
Even so, he still has not logged a sack this season.
In Bosa’s absence, Keion White has paced the group with 3.5 sacks. Rookie Romello Height has 1.5, while 2025 first-rounder Mykel Williams and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo have one apiece. Williams has also been limited in recent practices as he continues to work back from a 2025 ACL injury.
The interior has held up better. Rookie Gracen Halton and Osa Odighizuwa have two sacks each, and DeForest Buckner is now part of the mix after the recent trade.
So even if Bosa is on track to return, another edge addition would give the 49ers more depth and a little insurance if the calf issue lingers. The trade deadline is Nov. 10.
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