After San Francisco 49ers star defensive end Nick Bosa went down with a season-ending ACL tear on Sunday, the team’s fan base has been hoping for a big trade that will bring in a player who can pick up the slack for Bosa.

The name that has been brought up perhaps more than any other is Trey Hendrickson. He has been unhappy with the Cincinnati Bengals for a number of months because of his contract status, and with Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow facing a long absence due to a toe injury, they could be more inclined to make a major move.

There is no indication that the 49ers are targeting Hendrickson right now, or that they’re in any particular rush to make a trade right now. But as veteran NFL reporter Tim Kawakami noted in The San Francisco Standard, the team has been “long intrigued” by Hendrickson.

“If there’s a temptation for the 49ers to go for a quick-strike solution after Nick Bosa’s season-ending ACL tear, and I think there might be, there’s one trade scenario that stands out far above other possibilities,” Kawakami wrote.

“What about checking with the Cincinnati Bengals about Trey Hendrickson?

“… You don’t make a trade just to say you made one. You get yourself into trouble if you burn your future assets just for the fanciest acquisition right now. You have to be careful.

“Which leads me to Hendrickson, who long intrigued the 49ers and could be available because he’s a pending free agent and the Bengals are facing a lost season after Joe Burrow’s injury.”

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Kawakami also noted that there are a few other players that San Francisco would like to target in a potential trade, such as Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders, Cleveland Browns star Myles Garrett and Kayvon Thibodeaux of the New York Giants. But Hendrickson is the most attractive player of that group, and he’s the one that Niners Faithful wants to ultimately head to California.

He led the NFL with 17.5 sacks last year while also putting up 36 quarterback hits, 19 tackles for loss, six passes defended and two forced fumbles. He has made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four seasons, and he has the ability to single-handedly elevate San Francisco to a higher level.

Hendrickson is in the final year of his contract, and he asked to be traded early this offseason. About a month ago, they upped his salary for the 2025 campaign to $30 million, but if he wants to play elsewhere next fall, it would be in Cincinnati’s best interest to trade him beforehand and get some value back.

The Niners have shown a willingness to make bold trades in recent years. But they shed plenty of salary during the offseason and may be a little less willing to add more salary now. Hendrickson is 30 years of age, and he may cost them quite a bit of draft capital in a potential trade.

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Replacing Bosa’s production will not be easy. He had two sacks, four tackles for loss and two forced fumbles this season prior to his injury, and he was named the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 with a league-high 18.5 sacks. At age 27, he should have a few excellent years left in him, and he and Hendrickson could form a fearsome duo.

On the other hand, the 49ers are 3-0, and a number of their rookies and young prospects on defense have shown promise so far this year. After hosting the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday, they will visit the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the following two weeks, and both those games should be measuring sticks for San Francisco, especially on defense.

The NFL’s trade deadline this season is Tuesday, Nov. 4.

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