The San Francisco 49ers were active ahead of the November 10 NFL trade deadline, acquiring veteran defensive tackle DeForest Buckner and wide receiver Keenan Allen from the Indianapolis Colts. But one potential move they did not make was a trade for Houston Texans edge rusher Danielle Hunter.
A proposed deal would have cost San Francisco a 2027 second-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick. Hunter’s addition could have addressed the 49ers’ inconsistent pass rush. At 7-1, San Francisco had the NFC’s best record, but its 15 sacks ranked among the lowest totals in the league. The team also had $35.5 million in salary-cap space, giving it room to take on Hunter’s contract.
Hunter had recorded four sacks in his first eight games of the season. From 2022 through 2025, however, the five-time Pro Bowler posted at least 10.5 sacks in each of four consecutive seasons. Pairing him with Nick Bosa could have strengthened San Francisco’s pass rush, while a trade could have helped Houston recover draft capital spent on Harrison.
## Danielle Hunter’s Production Has Continued Into His 30s
The 6-foot-5, 263-pound Hunter has remained productive into his early 30s. In his age-32 season, he was still in contention for a fifth consecutive double-digit-sack campaign.
If he reached that mark, Hunter would have eight seasons with at least 10 sacks over his career. The total includes his 6.0-sack rookie season in 2015, when the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the third round out of LSU. He also missed all but seven games across the 2020 and 2021 seasons because of injuries.
Hunter’s contract reflects his value. The one-year, $40 million extension he signed on March 6 is expected to bring his career earnings to approximately $220.5 million following the 2027 season.
## San Francisco’s Edge Rushers Have Faced Injury Challenges
On paper, the 49ers expected to have two top edge rushers in 2025: first-round pick Mykel Williams and Nick Bosa, the 2022 NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Both players, however, were recovering from torn ACLs suffered during the 2025 season and missed multiple games with injuries.
Williams sat out the first five games while recovering and had recorded 1.0 sack in four appearances. Bosa missed six games with a calf injury that emerged after San Francisco’s season-opening win over the Rams in Melbourne, Australia. He had yet to record a sack in three games.
