The 49ers’ pass rush wasn’t the strength many might have expected Sunday in their 38-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Although the 49ers forced five turnovers en route to victory, the mistakes by the Raiders, for whom quarterback Kirk Cousins threw three interceptions, were not the product of overwhelming pressure from a defensive line strengthened by the trade for DeForest Buckner.
Indeed, Cousins has only been pressured 31.3% of the time, which ranks him 24th heading into Sunday Night Football in Week 9 among all quarterbacks. Not terrible, but not great for a team that once again boasts Buckner’s prowess in this area and also gets Nick Bosa back from injury.
This somewhat disappointing performance highlighted why the 49ers might feel the need to add more to their defensive line before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
And an ideal target at the edge spot reportedly asked to be traded, according to NFL Network and ESPN’s Ian Rapoport.
Will McDonald IV is projected as an outside passer ideally suited to the wide front 9 often employed by the 49ers upon his release in 2023, a year in which San Francisco did not have a first-round pick.
With an athletic profile that checked all the boxes, explosiveness clearly visible on the tape, a well-refined passing arsenal and positional versatility, having often played primarily inside in Iowa State’s 3-3-5 front in college, it was hard to imagine a prospect better suited for the 49ers in 2023, and he remains an excellent fit.
Despite the Jets’ continued struggles, McDonald established himself as a consistently productive passer. He has 24.5 sacks in his career, including three this season as New York has fallen to a 2-7 start. McDonald had eight sacks last year and 10.5 in 2024.
Now McDonald, under contract through 2027, wants to leave New York, with Rapoport saying the 27-year-old is unhappy with his usage by the Jets, after being used more as a situational edge rusher this season.
Rapoport added that teams have reached out to McDonald, but the Jets have not engaged in trade talks and have no plans to do so.
However, things can change quickly in the NFL, and the prospect of adding another talented passer under contract for next season should force the 49ers to test their resolve.
The season-ending ankle injury suffered by rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton could potentially complicate things when it comes to the 49ers adding additional pieces up front.
But acquiring a player like McDonald would be a substantial boost to the edge rotation and would allow players like Mykel Williams and Keion White to be used more frequently inside and help fill the void left by Halton’s injury.
Buckner was a smart, cost-effective addition by the 49ers, but their former 2016 first-round pick shouldn’t be the final piece of the puzzle right off the bat. There is a clear need at the edge, and McDonald is the right man to fill it.
Gn sports
