If Maxx Crosby trade talks fail, the 49ers must target Trey Hendrickson. His elite pass rush production offers a potent alternative to bolster their defense.
Over the last few weeks, the San Francisco 49ers have been loosely tied to Maxx Crosby in trade speculation and it’s not hard to see why.
San Francisco’s pass rush flat-out wasn’t good enough last season.
After finishing near the top of the league in sacks during their Super Bowl run two years ago (48 total), the 49ers plummeted in 2025, managing just 31 sacks, which was bottom five in the NFL. Even more concerning, they ranked in the bottom third in pressure rate (under 20 percent) and generated only 62 quarterback hits all season.
Outside of Nick Bosa, who accounted for 10.5 sacks and 21 quarterback hits despite battling constant double teams, the production simply wasn’t there. No other 49ers defender had more than 5.0 sacks.
That’s why Crosby, who has posted 14.5, 12.5 and 14.0 sacks over the past three seasons while totaling 270 pressures since 2022, felt like a dream addition. But if trade buzz doesn’t materialize into reality, general manager John Lynch will need a serious contingency plan.
Enter Trey Hendrickson.
According to Matthew Berry, the Cincinnati Bengals are unlikely to retain Hendrickson after contract talks stalled. If that proves true, he’d instantly become one of the most impactful pass rushers available.
Yes, Hendrickson’s 2025 season was shortened by injury, limiting him to just four sacks in seven games. But the broader sample size tells a much more compelling story.
In 2023 and 2024, Hendrickson recorded back-to-back 17.5-sack seasons. Over that two-year stretch, he totaled 35 sacks, 36 tackles for loss and 64 quarterback hits. He also posted a pressure rate hovering around 15 percent, firmly in upper-tier territory among edge defenders.
Production like that doesn’t just “happen.” It translates.
Pairing Hendrickson with Bosa would immediately change the math for opposing offensive lines. Offenses would no longer be able to slide protection almost exclusively toward Bosa. One-on-one matchups would increase. Blitz rates could decrease. Coverage could stabilize.
The real question is financial.
Hendrickson turns 31 this year, and elite edge rushers are commanding north of $25 million per season on the open market. San Francisco isn’t operating with unlimited cap space, especially with extensions and restructures looming elsewhere on the roster.
But the numbers don’t lie and the 49ers’ defense needs help getting to the quarterback. They ranked outside the top 20 in third-down sack rate and allowed opposing quarterbacks to post a combined passer rating over 96 when kept clean.
If Crosby proves unattainable, Hendrickson is a proven producer with 70 career sacks who could immediately elevate a pass rush that desperately needs a jolt.
The 49ers need pressure and Hendrickson has consistently delivered exactly that.