49ers urged to trade for 16-sack Steelers pass rusher

The San Francisco 49ers enter the 2026 NFL Draft with a clear need to upgrade their pass rush after finishing with just 20 total sacks last season. Using the No. 27 overall pick on an edge rusher remains a strong possibility.

However, Ralph Vacchiano of FOX Sports suggests an alternative path—one that involves a trade. Vacchiano identified Nick Herbig of the Pittsburgh Steelers as the ideal target for San Francisco during the draft.

The proposed cost: a 2026 second-round pick (No. 58 overall) and a 2027 conditional fifth-round selection.

"Their pass rush was completely punchless last season, with Bryce Huff leading the team with just four sacks," Vacchiano wrote.

Huff, by the way, has since retired, leaving the 49ers in even greater need of reinforcements. Additionally, Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams are coming off ACL injuries that shortened their 2025 campaigns.

"They are hopeful that both Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams will be healthy and back in their old form next season, but they could use another body in the rotation," Vacchiano added. "Herbig, 24, is stuck in a rotation behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith in Pittsburgh and in the final year of his contract. He had 13 sacks in a limited role over the past two seasons and would be well worth the high pick it would probably cost for the Steelers to swap him."

Herbig recorded a career-high 7.5 sacks in 2025 and has totaled 16 sacks over his three-year NFL career, according to Pro Football Reference. He has also compiled 79 tackles (23 for loss), 32 quarterback hits, one interception, three passes defensed, and nine forced fumbles—impressive production for a player with just 11 starts across 45 games.

Advanced metrics further highlight his potential. Herbig earned an 87.3 pass-rush grade in 2025 and a 91.5 grade in 2024 from Pro Football Focus, while generating 48 total pressures last season. His 72.7 run-defense grade in 2025 also underscores his potential appeal to the 49ers.