The San Francisco 49ers are undefeated and sit atop the NFC. In an interview last week, general manager John Lynch joked about how the team was connected to every player on the trade market.
The 49ers could stand to add depth at defensive tackle. You can never have enough pass rushers, so any defensive lineman would be a welcome addition.
Here’s ESPN’s Bill Barnwell’s excerpt from one of his trade proposals in today’s article:
San Francisco fans are understandably dreaming about a reunion with DeForest Buckner, who was once dealt in the opposite direction between these two teams for a first-round pick, but I’m not sure that’s as great of a fit as it might seem. The 49ers already have Osa Odighizuwa playing in that penetrating defensive tackle role, and rookie Gracen Halton has flashed alongside him, with sacks in each of the past two games.
Buckner is still a great player, and I wouldn’t fault the 49ers for just lining up as many superstars up front as possible and daring opposing offensive lines to simply figure it out, but this team really needs more help at nose tackle. San Francisco is 27th in success rate against the run so far this season. A year ago, it was 31st. The 49ers have been able to insulate themselves against run game issues by playing from ahead for most of the season, but they’ll need to be better against the run by the postseason.
Adding Stewart to the defensive line rotation would go a long way in helping San Francisco plug up those run game woes. The 33-year-old is a useful player and in the final year of his deal, but his contract is also expensive; he’s owed $8.2 million in cash over the remainder of the season. The 49ers don’t have cap concerns after restructuring some of their more significant deals, but that’s a big cash outlay. They could encourage the Colts to absorb more of the money by offering a better draft pick, but with the 49ers still undefeated and fielding one of the oldest cores in football, I’d push ownership to spend now to try to build a team that can win a title. Stewart isn’t the most exciting addition, but he’s the sort of player the Niners need.
Sidebar: Right underneath it, Barnwell has the Rams trading for…a kicker.
For what it’s worth, Sumer Sports has the 49ers 16th in rushing success rate. RBSDM has them 14th. If you filter it down to success rate against running backs, you still get 16th. So the defense is league average no matter how you split it.
That doesn’t change the point of adding a nose tackle. I’d still push back, though. Raheem Morris is thriving with athletes up front. They are winning with quickness and are always on the move. The 5-down fronts help, too.
For a seventh-rounder, sure. But, in my opinion, not having “space eaters” who aren’t agile, like Alfred Collins and CJ West, has quietly benefited the defensive line. They are covering more ground and causing more chaos. With a body type like Stewart, you’re unlikely to yield similar results.