The San Francisco 49ers have arguably the best roster in the NFL. They are loaded on both sides of the ball with All-Pros and players with the largest contracts at their positions in the NFL, as the team gets ready to make another run at the Super Bowl.
But, even the best teams have some holes that need filling. San Francisco addressed arguably their biggest need very early in free agency. After getting gashed by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers made a big upgrade on the interior of their defensive line, signing Javon Hargrave.
After ranking as the No. 1 defense in the 2022 season, it is certainly surprising to see all of their needs be on that side of the ball. Even with the addition of Hargrave, the defense could use a little more punch in the pass-rushing department.
The 49ers had 44 sacks last season, but 18.5 of them came from Defensive Player of the Year, Nick Bosa. Second and third of the team, Samson Ekubam and Charles Omenihu, both departed in free agency, leaving a huge void on the defense.
Second-year defensive end Drake Jackson will certainly take on a larger role, but adding another established veteran would be a good idea. Fitting players under the salary cap could prove difficult, but one player that should be on the 49ers’ radar is Za’Darius Smith of the Minnesota Vikings.
It is a matter of when, not if, Smith moves on this offseason. He already wrote a message thanking Minnesota and their fans as he is ready to move on. Smith’s request to be released has not been granted as the team is fielding trade offers for him.
After racking up 10.0 sacks last season, Smith is one of the likelier players around the league to get traded between now and training camp. What could a trade between the 49ers and Vikings look like?
A suggested trade package would be San Francisco sending a 2024 fourth-round pick to Minnesota in exchange for the veteran pass-rusher. The Vikings have been slashing salary all offseason, releasing wide receiver Adam Thielen and looking to move on from running back Dalvin Cook as well.
Smith could be the next player on the move, as trading him would save the team $12.16 million against the salary cap. That is money that could be spent elsewhere on the roster to upgrade the team.
As for the 49ers, they get an excellent pass-rusher to have as a bookend for Bosa. Smith would provide insurance in case Jackson isn’t ready for an expanded role, providing the team with a reliable presence to take pressure off of the reigning DPOY.
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