In the immediate aftermath of the most devastating injury blow of a season once again defined by them, the loss of All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner to a broken and dislocated ankle, one question persisted — should the 49ers even bother to trade for a pass rusher with Warner gone for the year?
There will be plenty emphatically saying no, and that’s an understandable position to take. With edge rusher Bosa already gone and Warner joining him, the 49ers’ hopes of legitimately contending in the NFC look slim, and there’s a strong case to be made that San Francisco would be better off accepting that and protecting its assets in next year’s draft.
Yet that is unlikely to be how the 49ers will operate, even in this desperate position injury-wise. Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch consistently talk about trying to improve the team in any way they can. With the clear exception a 2018 campaign in which the early Jimmy Garoppolo injury rendered any significant in-season move unnecessary, they have stayed true to those words.
As such, at 4-2 and with the offense still performing at a high level even with its own injury problems and obvious issues on the offensive line, there is reason to believe the 49ers will still try to raise the floor of the defense even in Warner’s absence.
At linebacker, they’ll likely ride it out. Dee Winters has played well and Shanahan said on Sunday of Tatum Bethune: “[I have] a lot of faith in Tatum and he is the next man up and he is going to have to do it throughout the year.”
Bethune struggled on Sunday after Warner went out, and it would have been unfair to expect him to immediately excel in the circumstances, yet the best way to help him and Winters and a secondary that is *very* young, would be to improve things up front.
The pass rush is a shadow what it was in the first couple of weeks. The foundation of the defensive line was removed when Bosa went out and the impact has been substantial. San Francisco is seeing signs of progress from the rookies up front — Mykel Williams had his first sack against Tampa Bay — but the reality is the group up front needs a lift from a more experienced rusher who can take some of the burden off sack leader Bryce Huff.
What Warner’s injury should change is the list of targets.
The 49ers cannot justify targeting rentals in this situation. So, unless they’re willing to offer a big new contract to 30-year-old Trey Hendrickson, that takes him out of the equation.
Instead, the focus should be on pass rushers who still have years remaining on their current deals who may be available as several teams see their seasons crater.
I’ve previously written about Carl Granderson’s excellent fit for the 49ers as a trade target in a potential deal with the New Orleans Saints, and he is somebody drawing interest, per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport. He is under contract until 2028, as is Bradley Chubb of the Miami Dolphins.
Granderson has 4.5 sacks this season while Chubb has 4. Their respective teams have combined for two wins and figure to be sellers as the trade deadline draws closer.
The 49ers will have a longer list of possible targets, but that duo fit the bill as the type of player San Francisco should be looking at, even with Warner on the sideline. They are productive veterans with multiple years left on their current deals who could improve the 49ers both in the near future and in the long term.
Without Bosa and Warner, the 49er defense needs a spark. San Francisco should continue to work the phones to try find one. The 49ers are still likely going to be buyers, but they’re going to be shopping in a smaller pool.
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