When the San Francisco 49ers pulled off a low-key trade for Keion White back in late October, it didn’t exactly dominate headlines. But fast forward to December, and that move is looking like another savvy piece of roster-building by a front office that continues to find value in unexpected places.
Here’s how the deal broke down: the 49ers sent a sixth-round pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for White and a conditional seventh-rounder. That pick was contingent on White being active for seven games - a mark he officially hit this past Monday against the Colts.
With that condition now met, the seventh-rounder flips back to New England. In other words, San Francisco essentially rented a promising young defensive lineman for the price of a sixth-round pick.
And so far, White’s made that investment look like a bargain.
Since arriving in the Bay Area, White’s role has expanded significantly. In New England, he was seeing about a third of the defensive snaps.
With the 49ers, he’s been on the field for at least 55 percent of the snaps in all but one game. That’s not just a bump - that’s a full-on promotion.
And it’s not just about volume, either. It’s about fit.
White’s deployment has shifted since the trade, and it's clearly working. Under the Patriots’ new coaching regime, he was being used primarily as an edge rusher - not his most natural position.
In San Francisco, defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has allowed him to split time between the edge and the interior, with about half of his snaps now coming inside. That’s where things get interesting.
White’s pressure rate tells the story. On the edge, he was generating pressure at a modest 5.9 percent clip.
But when he lines up inside? That number jumps to 11.3 percent.
That’s a significant spike - and a clear indicator that the Niners are tapping into his strengths in a way New England couldn’t or didn’t.
For a player still on his rookie deal through 2026, with a base salary of just $1.8 million, that’s the kind of cap-friendly production every contender dreams about. He’s not just filling a role - he’s thriving in it.
And once the 49ers get healthy again, with Mykel Williams and Nick Bosa returning to the fold, White could become even more effective. Playing next to elite talent in a deep rotation only enhances his ability to make an impact.
Bottom line: Keion White has gone from a rotational piece in New England to a quietly impactful contributor in San Francisco. The 49ers didn’t just get a body - they got a player who fits their system, fills a need, and brings upside at a bargain price. That’s how you build a contender.