49ers predicted to pull off trade deadline deal for edge rusher with 28 career sacks

The San Francisco 49ers' struggles in the pass rush were never more apparent than last week.

In a game against a Houston Texans offensive line that entered the week ranked 30th in pass-block win rate, the Niners weren't able to muster up a single sack and San Francisco is tied for the second-fewest sacks in the NFL with nine.

That's not totally surprising, though, as the Niners don't have Nick Bosa (torn ACL, out for season) and Bryce Huff (hamstring, could miss multiple weeks).

The Niners are very much a playoff contender at 5-3, but they're going to have a tough time getting there if the pass-rush doesn't improve.

The Sporting News' Vinnie Iyer has a solution. He predicts the Niners will make a trade with the Tennessee Titans for veteran edge rusher Arden Key.

The 49ers not only lost Nick Bosa for the season, but of late, Bryce Huff and Yetuer Gross-Matos have needed to miss time opposite rookie Mykel Williams. Key can provide some versatility and experience for Robert Saleh's scheme at a reasonable cost vs. trading for the Jets' Jermaine Johnson II.

Key's name has been floated in trade rumors, and for good reason.

The Titans are going nowhere this season at 1-7 and should be looking to sell off any pieces they can, and especially players like Key who are in the final year of their contracts.

Key, who is very familiar with San Francisco after spending the 2021 campaign there, isn't going to fill Bosa's shoes, but we know that there are few people on planet Earth who can actually do that.

But Key would still offer a boost to San Fran's ailing edge group. The veteran has tallied six or more sacks three times in the last four years and has 28 sacks in his career. Key has 1.5 sacks in five contests in 2025.

Another good thing about Key is his contract and the compensation he's likely to garner.

The Niners are in a transition year and likely don't want to give up significant draft capital or take on any future commitments. That won't be an issue with Key, who is a free agent in 2026 and is only going to cost a mid-Day 3 pick.

But Key, 29, is young enough to keep around if everything pans out, so there's that, also.

The Titans have already shown a willingness to deal, as evidenced by their trade of cornerback Roger McCreary to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday.

A Key trade feels inevitable and the Niners would be wise to be the ones to get him.

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