With Nick Bosa out for the season with an ACL tear and Fred Warner lost to a season‑ending ankle injury, the San Francisco 49ers are surveying the pass‑rusher market ahead of the Nov. 4 deadline.
49ers Rumors: Why 49ers Need Bengals Star
NFL Insider Dianna Russini reported that Cincinnati Bengals edge Trey Hendrickson, who is playing on a revised one‑year, $29 million deal with a 2025 cap hit of $25,166,668, is the one the 49ers are heavily linked with.
“San Francisco is canvassing the pass rusher market to fill the void left by Nick Bosa’s injury. I expect them to call Cincinnati about Trey Hendrickson,” she wrote on The Athletic.
The football fit is obvious as Hendrickson produced 17.5 sacks in 2024 (All‑Pro) and remains a top finisher in 2025 (4.0 sacks through six games), with speed‑to‑power and closing burst on money downs that translate immediately in a contender’s front.
The need is acute for San Francisco after losing Bosa (Week 3) and Warner (Week 6) to season-ending injuries, as confirmed by the club and league reports.
Any pursuit would hinge on Cincinnati’s posture and Hendrickson’s 2025 terms. Spotrac and OverTheCap list Hendrickson’s renegotiated one‑year agreement at $29,000,000 cash this season (base $16M plus $13M restructure), with a $25,166,668 cap charge and the contract voiding after the Super Bowl (void year mechanism in 2026 for accounting). He is scheduled to be a 2026 unrestricted free agent.
Broderick Jones on Trey Hendrickson: “He’s just a relentless player. He never stops. He has a motor about him. He has a deep bag of tools, man. So you just got to be on your A game when it comes to playing him because you can’t sleep, he’ll catch you.”
— Brooke Pryor (@bepryor) October 13, 2025
Those numbers set the trade math — an acquiring team would assume the remaining 2025 salary and cap, and the Bengals would require meaningful draft capital to justify moving a premier rusher midseason. Cincinnati’s recent quarterback move, acquiring Joe Flacco from the Cleveland Browns, underscores the Bengals’ intent to compete; they are more likely to listen only if the offer reflects Hendrickson’s impact and contract profile.
San Francisco has been clear with their reported pursuit, but the deal must make sense for both sides. Internally, the 49ers have relied on rookies and recent additions on the edge, as their crowded injury report (Bosa, Warner, Kittle, Purdy, Pearsall, Aiyuk, Jennings) cycles through rehab timelines and weekly designations.
In that context, Hendrickson would be a direct plug‑in as a lead rusher who re‑opens coverage shells and narrows drive length, the exact margin a battered defense needs to stabilize a 4‑2 start.
Why Hendrickson to 49ers Is Far From Done
League reporting indicates Hendrickson’s recent renegotiation boosted his 2025 cash payout to $29 million, and his cap figure ranks among the highest for edge rushers this season. That makes a midseason deal complex but not impossible; contenders have executed similar trades when the fit and compensation align.
Parallel quarterback developments (Cincinnati’s trade for Flacco; San Francisco’s injuries at multiple spots) confirm this is an active deadline environment.
If the 49ers engage, expect any dialogue to center on cash/cap absorption, the value of post‑season void accounting, and draft assets that match an All‑Pro’s production curve. Until there’s movement, Hendrickson remains a high‑leverage name on the board, the kind a contender calls about when the roster demands it.
