The 49ers need to upgrade their defensive line.<\/p>\n
But at what cost?<\/p>\n
There is speculation that the Raiders could trade edge rusher Maxx Crosby<\/a>, who averaged nearly 10 sacks per season over his seven NFL seasons. He is a five-time Pro Bowl performer who underwent surgery last month to repair cartilage damage in his knee.<\/p>\n If the Raiders are open to trading Crosby, the 49ers\u2019 first-round pick (No. 27 overall) probably would not be enough to get it done. The 49ers might have to throw in picks in the second and third rounds, too.<\/p>\n Such a trade would hit the 49ers twice. They would give up the potential to add young players under fixed salaries for the next four years in order to add Crosby, who is scheduled to make $30 million in base salary in 2026.<\/p>\n The 49ers should receive a boost with the returns of Nick Bosa<\/a> and Mykel Williams<\/a> from season-ending knee injuries. They also need their other young players, such as Alfred Collins<\/a> and CJ West<\/a>, to take significant steps forward.<\/p>\n Last year, the 49ers made up for lost time with the selections of Williams, Collins and West within the first three rounds.<\/p>\n The 49ers made two huge trades that greatly impacted their drafts in 2022 and 2023.<\/p>\n It does not make sense that they would mortgage future drafts at this point. After all, the 49ers are still feeling the effects of those trades.<\/p>\n The move to trade up to No. 3 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft to select quarterback Trey Lance<\/a> did not work. The deal to land running back Christian McCaffrey<\/a> was a home run.<\/p>\n But as a result of those deals, the 49ers did not have their first pick until No. 61 overall in 2022. There, they took edge rusher Drake Jackson<\/a>, who had six sacks in 23 games before an injury ended his time with the organization.<\/p>\n In 2023, the 49ers\u2019 first selection did not come until late in the third round, when they moved up to select safety Ji\u2019Ayir Brown<\/a> at No. 87 overall.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks used the players acquired early in those two drafts to lead them to a Super Bowl title.<\/p>\n In 2022 and \u201923, the Seahawks had picks at Nos. 5, 9, 20, 37, 40 and 41 while the 49ers could only sit back and wait their turn.<\/p>\n Seattle selected such pivotal players as cornerback Devon Witherspoon, tackle Charles Cross, receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, defensive ends Derick Hall and Boye Mafe, and running back Kenneth Walker.<\/p>\n Yes, the 49ers need to bolster their defensive line, but they need to add young players in this year\u2019s draft to help them get the job done.<\/p>\n