The 2024 season is a pressure-packed one for many National Football League teams, and the San Francisco 49ers may be at the top of the list.
After a second Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in a five-year span, the 49ers had a turbulent offseason. They finally managed to lock down offensive stars Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams in the past week, but there's hardly been any time to practice as a unit.
The 49ers have tons of stars, and stars are expensive. The 49ers have cap space now, but that's mostly due to quarterback Brock Purdy still being on his rookie contract.
Purdy will be extension-eligible in 2025, meaning the 49ers have to decide how much they want to go for broke now versus saving payroll for the future. If they choose the former, they have a potential opportunity to grab another game-changer on defense.
On Wednesday, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report listed the 49ers as one of the top two trade destinations for New York Jets edge rusher Haason Reddick, who has reportedly requested a trade after already being dealt once this year and has not reported to Jets camp.
"The 49ers might also want to kick the tires on Reddick. San Francisco could face major cap issues in 2025, when quarterback Brock Purdy will be extension-eligible, but it has $46.4 million in cap space available now," Knox said.
"San Francisco is also firmly in its Super Bowl window and may need more depth in its pass-rushing rotation. Offseason acquisitions Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos have both been dealing with knee injuries."
Reddick is in the final year of a three-year extension he initially signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, with whom he made both of his Pro Bowl appearances in 2022 and 2023. He is set to make $14.25 million this season, but has been holding out in search of a long-term extension.
If the 49ers could somehow swing the deal for Reddick, they would have one of the most fearsome front sevens in recent memory. The 29-year-old racked up 27 sacks over the past two seasons and forced an NFL-best five fumbles in 2022.
With Reddick and Nick Bosa coming off opposite sides of the line, offenses would have nightmares trying to game plan for the 49ers in 2024. But would Reddick simply be a one-year addition? Would he even agree to those terms?
If it all works out and the 49ers can fit Reddick into their financial plans, either short-term or long-term, it could change the outlook of the NFC in 2024. But a proposal is only hypothetical, at least until ink is put to paper.
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