NFL Insider Links 49ers to Khalil Mack, DeForest Buckner Ahead of Trade Deadline

With the NFL trade deadline approaching, national buzz surrounding potential blockbuster moves is accelerating. Appearing on a recent podcast, NFL insider Jordan Schultz revealed that front offices are gearing up for a remarkably chaotic deadline window and are predicting anywhere between 12 to 20 deals could be finalized across the league.

Among the most aggressive pursuers? The San Francisco 49ers and the Chicago Bears.

Schultz went as far as saying he would be "shocked" if John Lynch and the 49ers didn't execute a trade before the window closes, connecting both San Francisco and Chicago to marquee defensive disruptors: Josh Sweat, Khalil Mack, and DeForest Buckner, along with several off-radar targets not publicly known to be on the block.

While both the 6-1 49ers and Caleb Williams’ 5-2 Bears boast top-tier scoring offenses in the NFC, San Francisco's defensive underlying metrics highlight an undeniable vulnerability: pass rush efficiency.

Currently, the 49ers rank 24th in the NFL in overall pressure rate. That shortfall was exposed during Sunday’s 29-20 defeat in Atlanta, where San Francisco generated a season-low three total pressures against Michael Penix Jr. In contrast, the Falcons disrupted Brock Purdy all afternoon by rushing only four down linemen. 

If San Francisco hopes to make a deep Super Bowl run in January, restoring that front-four disruption is paramount.

Defensive Trade Candidates Linked to 49ers:

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Player             Current Team    Age / Contract Status       Key 2026 Metrics

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Khalil Mack        L.A. Chargers   35 y/o | Final Contract Yr  3 sacks, 6 TFLs, 14 pressures

Josh Sweat         Arizona         29 y/o | Contract Year      2 sacks, 4 QB hits

DeForest Buckner   Indianapolis    32 y/o | Signed Thru 2026   Consistently Elite DT

Mack represents the cleanest, most realistic short-term rental target. In the final year of his deal with the winless Chargers, the 35-year-old veteran has shown he has plenty left in the tank, tallying three sacks, six tackles for loss, and 14 pressures.

Sweat possesses the explosive burst San Francisco covets across from an injured Nick Bosa, but intradivision logistics present a massive roadblock.

The emotional favorite for the Faithful. Trading Buckner away in 2020 remains one of the toughest decisions of the Shanahan-Lynch era, but bringing the Pro Bowl interior force back to Santa Clara would fundamentally reshape the defense.

Given the team's lingering defensive line injuries and the pass rush's disappearing act in Atlanta, Lynch faces significant pressure to act.

Would it stun anyone if San Francisco made multiple moves before the clock strikes zero on deadline day? While packaging both Mack and Buckner into the building sounds like a video-game fantasy given cap constraints, acquiring a proven veteran edge rusher alongside interior depth may be the exact shot in the arm this 6-1 team needs during the bye week.