The San Francisco 49ers enter the 2026 offseason with one of the clearest needs in the league: they need to find a way-any way-to juice up their pass rush. After losing both Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams to season-ending ACL tears last year, the Niners’ once-feared defensive front was left toothless.
The result? Just 20 sacks all season, the lowest mark in the NFL.
That’s not just a stat-it’s a red flag for a team still chasing a Super Bowl.
And the hits didn’t stop there. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh left for the Tennessee Titans’ head coaching job, leaving a leadership void on that side of the ball. Combine that with a lack of elite edge-rushing prospects in this year’s draft, and it’s clear: if the 49ers want to get back to bullying quarterbacks, they’ll likely need to look outside the building.
Enter Maxx Crosby.
The Las Vegas Raiders’ All-Pro edge rusher has been floated as a dream target for San Francisco before, but now the buzz is getting louder. And with good reason.
Pairing Crosby with a healthy Bosa in 2026? That’s the kind of nightmare fuel that keeps offensive coordinators up at night.
CBS Sports recently floated a trade scenario that’s hard to ignore: Crosby to the 49ers in exchange for a first- and second-round pick. That’s a steep price on paper, sure-but context matters.
The 49ers are in win-now mode, and Crosby isn’t just a good pass-rusher-he’s one of the best in the game. He brings relentless motor, proven production, and the kind of edge presence that can tilt a playoff game.
Let’s be real: even with Bosa and Williams returning, this group needs more. The 2025 season exposed how thin the 49ers were when their top guys went down.
And while health alone should bring a bounce-back, it’s not enough. In a loaded NFC West that includes the defending champs, standing pat isn’t an option.
General manager John Lynch has never been shy about making bold moves. This would be another swing for the fences-but it fits the moment. The 49ers are still in a Super Bowl window, and adding a player like Crosby could be the move that pushes them over the top.
Of course, it wouldn’t be simple. There’s the financial side of things to consider.
Brock Purdy’s ascending cap hit is starting to reshape the team’s budget, and Crosby’s contract isn’t cheap. Any deal would require some creative cap management, and possibly some tough roster decisions elsewhere.
And then there’s the draft capital. Giving up a first and second-round pick means sacrificing the chance to fill other holes-most notably at wide receiver.
With Brandon Aiyuk’s future uncertain and Jauan Jennings likely on the way out, the 49ers will need to retool their receiver room. Trading those picks would mean leaning heavily on free agency or hoping for hidden gems later in the draft.
But here’s the thing: you don’t get many shots at a player like Crosby. He’s a proven difference-maker, not a prospect you hope turns into one. And for a team that’s already built to contend, that kind of certainty is worth the cost.
If the 49ers want to keep their championship window open-and widen it-they’ll need to bring more heat off the edge. Maxx Crosby could be the answer.
