​The San Francisco 49ers reside in the same division as the Los Angeles Rams, who pulled off a trade for Myles Garrett, and the Seattle Seahawks boasted a relentless pass rush that helped them secure a Super Bowl victory last season. In recent months, there has been much discussion and debate about how the 49ers can improve their pass rush. The team will welcome Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams back from injuries, and they also selected Romello Height in the 2026 NFL Draft. San Francisco additionally acquired Osa Odighizuwa, a disruptive interior presence who can pressure the quarterback. Still, the question remains: could the 49ers pursue another inside pairing to enhance their interior pass rush?
Wynston Wilcox of FanSided proposed a list of teams that could realistically trade for Philadelphia Eagles defensive lineman Jalen Carter, with the 49ers among them. In a July 16 article, Wilcox asked: “The ultimate question is how much do the San Francisco 49ers value Mykel Williams?” He noted that Williams appeared in only nine games as a rookie due to a torn ACL, recording 11 tackles and one sack. The issue for the 49ers, Wilcox argued, is whether Alfred Collins has enough value to justify any deal. “While adding Carter would provide substantial depth on their defensive line, they’d be sacrificing a pass rusher. They could compensate with Nick Bosa returning from injury, but is it worth it for them? That’s the question they’ll have to answer.”
Carter logged 640 defensive snaps last season for the Eagles, earning a 60.0 overall PFF defensive grade. He produced 41 total pressures, three sacks, 30 hurries, and eight QB hits, along with 18 solo tackles against the run. Wilcox also weighed what the 49ers would need to offer in a potential Carter trade, suggesting that either Bosa or Williams would have to be part of the package. “But Philadelphia needs pass rush help badly, which is why Williams or Bosa would have to be included,” Wilcox wrote. “With Carter and Williams being similar in age, that’s the line of thought I pursued. The 49ers can’t shy away from significant moves given the rest of this division—they’ll face the defending Super Bowl champions twice and contend with Myles Garrett and the Rams twice yearly. They can’t afford to fall behind in any way they can’t fix. Adding Carter would be a major upgrade, but it would also mean sacrificing a key piece of their future.”
Nevertheless, if the 49ers choose not to part with assets in a trade, they could turn to the veteran free-agent market. Larry Krueger of KNBR recently encouraged the Niners to pursue a veteran pass rusher. “Jadeveon Clowney is 33, and he’s been really productive recently,” Krueger stated in a July 9 YouTube video. “He’s had 23.5 sacks over the past three years.”
In sum, the 49ers face a decision between pursuing a high-profile trade for a player like Carter, which could bolster the interior pass rush but at the cost of future assets, or exploring veteran free agents who can contribute immediately without sacrificing draft capital. They also have returning talent in Bosa and Williams, added depth with Odighizuwa and Height, and the possibility of further development from internal players. The path they choose will shape how effectively they can contend with the Rams, the Seahawks’ aggressive pass rush, and the enduring challenge posed by Myles Garrett and the rest of the division.