The San Francisco 49ers are running out of options to add defensive end help ahead of the NFL trade deadline.
Well before Tuesday’s 1:00pm deadline, the Kansas City Chiefs acquired DE Josh Uche from the New England Patriots. On Tuesday, DE Za’Darius Smith was traded by the Cleveland Browns to the Detroit Lions. After that, the Green Bay Packers dealt DE Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
San Francisco might have been aiming to acquire New York Giants DE Azeez Ojulari, but it sounds like he won’t be on the move.
NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reported Ojulari isn’t likely to get dealt after the Giants held firm on a steep asking price for the 24-year-old.
It’s not a huge surprise the 49ers didn’t want to overpay for a potential rental. Ojulari is in the final year of his contract and figures to command a sizable deal in free agency. He has 6.0 sacks in nine games this season and has stayed healthy after dealing with injuries that limited him to 18 games across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
For San Francisco, draft capital is going to be important piece of their future with so a roster that will likely rely less on veterans over the next couple of seasons. They’ll need premium picks to replenish their roster, and it’s unlikely they’ll be able to retain Ojulari in free agency.
The 49ers need help on the defensive line, but it doesn’t sound like it’ll come in a trade with the Giants.
