The San Francisco 49ers’ cupboard is not barren at defensive end, not with Nick Bosa on the roster. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan has to be concerned with the depth at the position heading into the season.
A pair of ends, Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos, each suffered knee sprains during San Francisco’s preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders on Friday. Both were signed during the offseason as free agents to improve a 49ers pass rush that finished tied for eighth in sacks last season.
Shanahan has some room for optimism after announcing on Sunday that Floyd, who has been expected to start across from Bosa, is listed as day-to-day and Gross-Matos is week-to-week after they underwent MRI exams.
Unfortunately for San Francisco, there aren’t many options behind those three players. Fifth-round selection Robert Beal Jr. doesn’t appear ready to make any significant contributions and Drake Jackson, the team’s second-round pick in 2022, is out for the season with a knee injury.
According to NFL insider Ian Rapoport, that may prompt the 49ers to trade for an edge rusher on Tuesday to help fill the gaps.
"The timing is never good," he said during a segment on NFL Network. "You never want this to happen. But the cutdown day, which comes Tuesday, sometimes triggers trades. There are plenty of teams with excess edge help, so if the 49ers need it, still plenty of time to swing a trade."
The 49ers are no strangers to making deals for edge rushers. Last season they traded for Randy Gregory in October and Chase Young at the deadline. Both players signed elsewhere during free agency.
San Francisco’s pass rush will be tested when they open the season on September 9 against Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets.
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