49ers Face Defining Choice on Maxx Crosby After Rams Land Garrett

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, The Los Angeles Rams sent shockwaves through the NFC West on June 1. They traded Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick, and a 2029 third-round pick to the Cleveland Browns for two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett. The move instantly raised the bar in the division.

Now attention shifts to the San Francisco 49ers. Their pass rush finished last in the NFL with just 20 sacks in 2025. That weakness showed up in critical moments. Opposing quarterbacks often had clean pockets and time to pick the secondary apart. The front office has cap room and flexibility. The question is whether they should use it on another star edge rusher right now.

The Speculation Ignites

New York Post columnist Vincent Bonsignore laid out a clear recommendation in his June 6 piece. He argued the 49ers should push hard for Maxx Crosby to keep pace with their division rival. Crosby, a five-time Pro Bowler, remains under contract with the rebuilding Las Vegas Raiders. Bonsignore believes the right price could get the deal done and put San Francisco back in the Super Bowl conversation.

The idea gained traction fast. Social media lit up. Fans debated package sizes and timelines. Then the analysts weighed in with very different takes.

Krueger Urges Caution With Draft Capital

KNBR’s Larry Krueger pushed back against any deal that mirrors what the Rams gave up. In a June 7 YouTube video he laid out his stance plainly.

“I’d love to see them use their financial flexibility and cap room to bring in one or two more pieces at the cutdown to make them a better overall team. But the whole thing, if I’m going to trade a first and a second, I don’t want to trade Mykel. I’d rather trade Mykel and then no first. I’ll trade Mykel and a second and something else, but I’m not trading Mykel and a first-rounder. I mean, not for a guy who just failed a physical in Baltimore, and we don’t know about the knee. He played super hard, played hurt, but eventually your body breaks.”

— Larry Krueger, KNBR, June 7, 2026

Krueger emphasized a bigger philosophy. Draft picks represent the future. They provide flexibility when injuries hit or when unexpected needs arise. He compared trading high picks for a veteran at peak value to buying a house at the top of the market or driving a new car off the lot. The asset starts losing value the moment you acquire it. He would rather keep the picks and build through the draft or targeted free-agent additions later.

Cohn Says Go All-In Now

49ers on SI’s Grant Cohn sees the situation differently. In his June 1 video he made the case for aggressive action.

“I think [the 49ers] could do [trade for Crosby] for two firsts; maybe it would not even take two firsts. The fact that he failed that physical, maybe they could trade him. I do not know. So I guess the Raiders are feeling like, why trade low? Why sell low? Get him back on the field, see what he can do, see what he can show. Maybe they can rehabilitate his trade value. So let us say the Raiders are unwilling to trade Maxx Crosby until the deadline, when they are definitely out of it, and Maxx Crosby is once again worth two first-round picks. I would trade the picks unless the season was going off the rails and he would not save it. But I do not see the season going like that.”

— Grant Cohn, 49ers on SI, June 1, 2026

Cohn believes the failed physical with the Ravens in March actually creates an opening. Crosby had knee surgery roughly eight weeks before that physical. The Ravens backed out after medical reviews. Now healthy and progressing, Crosby could be available at a discount if the Raiders decide to move him before he re-establishes full value.

The Human Element Behind the Numbers

Mykel Williams, the 49ers’ 2025 first-round pick out of Georgia, adds another layer. He suffered a torn ACL during the 2025 season and is still working his way back. Training camp will be critical for him. Trading a high-upside young edge defender who has already shown flashes feels risky to many in the organization. At the same time, Crosby has proven he can play through pain and still produce at an elite level.

You could feel the tension in the air around the team facility this week. Staffers and beat writers traded theories about what John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan might do. The Garrett trade changed the math overnight. Suddenly standing pat felt like falling behind in a division that just got more dangerous.

Why the Pass Rush Matters So Much

Twenty sacks last season told only part of the story. The 49ers allowed too many explosive plays because quarterbacks had time. A healthy Crosby paired with Nick Bosa would create constant pressure from both edges. That changes everything for the secondary and the run defense. It shortens games It forces negative plays. It wears down offensive lines over four quarters.

The Rams clearly decided they needed that kind of difference-maker to support Matthew Stafford’s window. San Francisco has its own reasons to consider the same move. Yet the cost in draft capital and young talent remains steep.

Where Things Stand

The Raiders have shown no urgency to sell low on Crosby. They may wait until training camp or the trade deadline to see how he looks after full recovery. That timeline actually helps the 49ers if they want to gather more information on both Crosby’s knee and Mykel Williams’ return.

Cap room gives San Francisco options the Rams may not have had. They can add depth without mortgaging every future pick. The real debate inside the building is whether one superstar edge is worth more than the flexibility to build a deeper, more sustainable roster.

Both sides of this argument have merit. One path prioritizes immediate contention and star power. The other protects long-term flexibility and trusts the development of young players like Williams. The next few weeks of OTAs and early camp will shape which direction feels right.

The NFC West just got louder. The 49ers now decide how they want to answer.