With the Maxx Crosby trade, the 49ers can shift to other options

Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby was traded to the Baltimore Ravens (or at least agreed to, since it can’t be processed until next week). That was never going to be cheap, and two first-round picks are mighty pricey for a San Francisco 49ers team that needs to continue its “rebuild”. In fact, one first-round pick may have been too expensive for where the 49ers are.

So now what do the 49ers do? Well, there are other options, one of the better being an edge rusher the 49ers wouldn’t need to

send draft picks for: Cincinnati Bengals soon-to-be free agent defensive end Trey Hendrickson.

On Thursday, The Athletic’s Matt Barrows correctly predicted on KNBR that the 49ers couldn’t match the compensation for the Raiders, saying, “They don’t have a great first-round pick.”

If they don’t have a great first-round pick, it’s doubtful two great first-round picks were in the cards.

“As far as Trey Hendrickson,” Barrows said in that same KNBR session. “They are going to be one of the teams that at the very least is in the conversation.”

Well, that’s something. Unlike Crosby, the 49ers won’t have to worry about giving up first-round picks. They will have to worry about handing him a mega contract. With the Brandon Aiyuk guarantees voided, that might give them some money to backload a deal. Can it be $105 million over three years? That’s a good question.

Unfortunately, the 49ers won’t be the only team monitoring this situation. Other teams, some of which can probably find more cash lying around to get above $105 million, will be looking too.

If that seems too rich or simply unlikely for you, there is another option, but the 49ers may have to make a trade for it. Green Bay Packers edge rusher Rashan Gary put up a brief Instagram post announcing his departure from Green Bay. Brief because the post came down rather quickly, with reports saying he was told he won’t be released or traded. Gary has two years left on his deal, but his salary and cap number are rather large, over $20 million for 2026 and 2027. If he is, in fact, on his way out, the Packers may decide to release him, as teams may not want to take on that salary.

As nice as Crosby would have been on the 49ers, they just weren’t a team capable of pulling off such a deal as the Ravens did. If they are watching the Hendrickson negotiations unfold next week, hopefully, it will be a bit happier ending.