The San Francisco 49ers may be undefeated, but everyone in the Bay knows losing Nick Bosa for the year changed things significantly.
General manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan will likely hit the market for some help filling the team’s pass rushing void, and Matt Barrows of The Athletic thinks the most logical trade candidate for the 49ers might be a familiar face: Arden Key, who is currently with the Tennessee Titans.
“He’s versatile (DT or DE), has familiarity (was with San Francisco in 2021) and the 49ers wouldn’t have to mortgage their future to acquire him,” Barrows wrote on September 24.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano also thinks the Niners will be on the hunt for a Bosa replacement soon.
49ers Need Pass Rush Help after Nick Bosa Injury
“The Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch 49ers have never been shy about making big in-season moves (hello, Christian McCaffrey!) and are suffering through an incredible rash of early-season injuries,” Graziano wrote on September 24.
“The latest, to star edge rusher Nick Bosa, falls into the irreplaceable category, but that shouldn’t stop the Niners from seeing if they can bring in another edge rusher to supplement whatever plan they have to compensate for Bosa’s loss.”
Without Bosa, the Niners are rolling with Bryce Huff and rookie Mykel Williams as their top edge rushers, and Key would be a low-cost option to add to the mix.
Should the 49ers Try to Trade for Edge Arden Key?
Getty Should the 49ers try to trade for Arden Key?
Drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders in the third round back in 2018, Key showed flashes early, but couldn’t stay healthy or consistent. Things changed when he landed with San Francisco in 2021. He finished with career highs in sacks (6.5) and QB hits (17).
That year set him up for a good run in Jacksonville, where he logged 4.5 sacks in 2022 before cashing in with Tennessee on a three-year, $21 million deal. The Titans have gotten solid production since: 6.0 sacks in 2023 and another 6.5 in 2024.
He’s also versatile — he’s played snaps both outside and on the interior.
So far this season, Key hasn’t yet recorded a sack through three games, and at 29, he may be slowing down a bit.
That said, he came into 2025 with 26.5 career sacks, and his contract is easy to work with: an expiring deal carrying about a $9.3 million cap hit. For a San Francisco, that’d be a manageable add, especially if Tennessee is willing to eat a little salary to get a draft pick back.
More on Why a Move Like This Makes Sense
If the Niners were to go after a bigger name like Trey Hendrickson or Kayvon Thibodeaux, they would have to part with premium picks. Key is the more practical move: He’s familiar, affordable and good enough to help the 49ers in their time of need.
The Titans would also likely listen. At 0–3, with rookie quarterback Cam Ward still figuring things out, Tennessee could pivot toward trading veterans on expiring deals. Key’s not a long-term building block, but the Niners don’t need him to be. They just need an edge who can help fill their current void.
We’ll see which direction they go.
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