The San Francisco 49ers and the Houston Texans have been involved in some business over the past few years.
Back in 2024, the 49ers dealt a seventh-round pick for defensive tackle Maliek Collins in a move that worked out for them for a year. Collins was a solid pass-rusher and went on to sign with the Cleveland Browns, where he’s found even more success, recently signing an extension.
They’ve also traded seventh-round picks to the Texans for defensive tackle Khalil Davis and offensive lineman Jarrett
Patterson in separate trades. Now, could it be time for a fourth deal over the past two years?
Heading into the trade deadline, the 49ers already made a splash move, landing DeForest Buckner for a 2027 fourth-round pick to slot in as their new starting defensive tackle. Following that, the 49ers are still actively looking for a pass rusher and a wide receiver, and one of those needs could be filled with a minor trade with the Texans.
CBS Sports mocked a trade between the 49ers and Texans for veteran edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney, with the two sides swapping sixth and seventh-round picks in the deal.
“The Niners have already given their defensive line a boost by trading for DeForest Buckner, and they should welcome Nick Bosa back into the fold soon, if not this week coming off their bye,” CBS Sports’s Jared Dubin wrote. “But they’re still just 21st in the NFL in pressure rate, according to Tru Media, and they have been dealing with injuries along the defensive front all season. Adding another capable rotational player off the edge could give them an extra boost ahead of a potential playoff run.”
In the deal, the 49ers are receiving a 2027 seventh-round pick, while sending out a 2028 sixth-round pick.
Clowney has been a name that has popped up in trade conversations this week, as he’s played under 40 percent of the defensive snaps for the Texans and is 33 years old. The 49ers currently have a draft pick in every round but the fourth in the 2027 NFL Draft after the Buckner trade, so they could swap sixths and sevenths this year.
But if they’re asked to move a 2028 pick and get a 2027 in return, the deal could make even more sense. And it could make sense for Houston as well, as they currently don’t have a 2028 sixth-round pick.
If the 49ers are to look for a pass rusher and a wide receiver, at least one of those moves will have to be cheap. San Francisco doesn’t have any projected compensatory picks coming their way this offseason. So two trades could mean two additional picks from their 2027 war chest gone, leaving them with just four draft picks in the class.
A move like this would fill a need while being relatively cheap and adding more leadership to the room with a veteran player who has played in a similar system. Clowney hasn’t been anything special this year, accumulating just nine pressures on 78 pass-rushing snaps. But he’s cheap and a veteran body who can add to a rotation currently ranking 21st in the NFL in pressure rate.
That would also allow the 49ers to look for a receiver and still come out fine on the draft capital side going into the offseason.
