![](\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/jadeveon-clowney-dallas-cowboys.jpg?quality=65&strip=all&w=780\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Last season, the San Francisco 49ers struggled to sack the QB, and while the Niners will be getting Nick Bosa back healthy, the team can\u2019t put all its hopes on Bosa staying injury-free in 2026.<\/p>\n
As a result, the 49ers could look at the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft to find that pass-rush help, but they can also look at the veteran free agent market to fill that need before the upcoming season.<\/p>\n
Regarding which player San Francisco could pursue, CBS Sports\u2019 Garrett Podell sees the Niners as the top landing spot for Jadeveon Clowney, who spent last season with the Dallas Cowboys.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe San Francisco 49ers ranked last in the NFL in team sacks in 2025, and their 1.18 sacks per game now stands as the lowest by a team that made the postseason,\u201d Podell wrote in his article published on April 3.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, San Francisco gets both 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year edge rusher Nick Bosa (torn ACL) and 2025 11th overall pick edge rusher Mykel Williams (torn ACL and torn meniscus) back in 2026\/ Adding a healthy, proven pass rush threat along the edge in Clowney would relieve some of the urgency on those two to rush back from their injuries.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlus, Clowney already has plenty of pass-rush chemistry with new 49ers defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa after suiting up together in Dallas last season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Last season with the Cowboys, Clowney recorded a 79.2 overall PFF defensive grade, ranking 18th among 115 qualified edge defenders.<\/p>\n
Moreover, his pass-rush grade of 80.6 placed him 15th, while his run-defense grade of 70.6 ranked 26th at the position. Clowney generated 40 total pressures, including nine sacks, 29 hurries, and two hits.<\/p>\n
Cowboys HC Gets Blunt About Trading Osa Odighizuwa<\/strong><\/p>\n Speaking of Odighizuwa, the Cowboys traded the defensive tackle to the 49ers in exchange for a 2026 third-round pick (No. 92). Recently, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer shared his thoughts when he learned that Odighizuwa was heading to the Niners.<\/p>\n \u201cAnytime you go through a scheme change, there\u2019s going to be adjustments where you move on from an incredible person, an incredible leader in Osa,\u201d Schottenheimer told reporters in a March 31 video from DLLS Cowboys.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was one of the hard ones. I\u2019m happy to share with you guys that I wept. We both wept on the phone together. It was hard. That\u2019s the nature of the business, and I\u2019m thrilled that he\u2019s going to a place that is a great fit for him.\u201d<\/p>\n Last season with the Cowboys, Odighizuwa posted a 65.9 overall PFF defensive grade, ranking 41st among 134 qualified interior defensive linemen.<\/p>\n Furthermore, his pass-rush grade of 71.5 placed him 25th, while his run-defense grade of 58.9 ranked 47th at the position. As a pass rusher, he totaled 52 pressures, including three sacks, 29 hurries, and 20 hits. Against the run, he contributed 20 solo tackles.<\/p>\n Joey Bosa Is Too Expensive for the 49ers \u201cI know that would make Mama Bosa happy, but I don\u2019t know if we can afford him,\u201d 49ers general manager John Lynch said (h\/t David Lombardi of the SF Standard).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Last season, the San Francisco 49ers struggled to sack the QB, and while the Niners will be getting Nick Bosa back healthy, the team can\u2019t put all… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":173136,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-173135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nAnother player who could help the 49ers on the defensive line is Joey Bosa. The Niners\u2019 name has been in the mix for the veteran, and while it would be a good story to see the Bosa brothers play together, that doesn\u2019t look likely.<\/p>\n