The San Francisco 49ers have arguably the best roster in the NFL. They’re lined on both sides of the ball with All-Pros and players with the biggest contracts in their positions in the NFL as the team prepares for another try at the Super Bowl.
But even the best teams have some gaps that need to be filled. San Francisco addressed what is arguably its greatest need very early on in free agency. After being knocked out by the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship Game, the 49ers made significant improvements to central defense and signed Javon Hargrave.
Having been the No. 1 defense in the 2022 season, it’s certainly surprising that all of their needs are on that side of the ball. Even with the addition of Hargrave, the defense could use a little more punch in the pass rushing area.
The 49ers had 44 sacks last season, but 18.5 of those came from Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa. The team’s second and third, Samson Ekubam and Charles Omenihu, both left free hands, leaving a large gap in defense.
Sophomore defensive end Drake Jackson will certainly have a bigger role, but adding another established veteran would be a good idea. Getting players below the salary cap could prove difficult, but one player that should be on the 49ers’ radar is the Minnesota Vikings’ Za’Darius Smith.
The question is when, not if, Smith will move on this offseason. He has already written a message thanking Minnesota and his fans as he is ready to move on. Smith’s request for release was denied as the team made trade offers for him.
After averaging 10.0 sacks last season, Smith is one of the most likely players in the league to be traded leading up to training camp. What could a trade between the 49ers and the Vikings look like?
A proposed trade package would have San Francisco send a fourth-round pick to Minnesota for 2024 in exchange for the veteran pass-rusher. The Vikings have taken pay cuts throughout the offseason, fired wide receiver Adam Thielen and are also looking to leave running back Dalvin Cook.
Smith could be the next player to move as swapping with him would save the team $12.16 million off the salary cap. That’s money that could be spent elsewhere in the roster to improve the team.
As for the 49ers, they get an excellent pass rusher as a bookend for Bosa. Smith would make sure Jackson isn’t ready for an expanded role, providing the team with a reliable presence to take the pressure off the incumbent DPOY.
