Why 49ers traded Davis, a value acquisition, in a big move originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 49ers’ roster did not remain static at the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday.
Just before the 1:00 PM PT window closed, the 49ers added a little-known defensive tackle who figures to see action as part of the team’s rotation.
The 49ers acquired backup defensive lineman Khalil Davis from the Houston Texans for a seventh-round draft pick in 2026, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area.
It wasn’t a big splash, but the 49ers decided it was a move that wouldn’t come at a high cost.
The big additions for the 49ers will come from players returning from injuries.
The 49ers may need to open roster spots for running back Christian McCaffrey and offensive lineman Jon Feliciano in the coming days. Both were expected to return this week and could be in uniform on Sunday when the 49ers play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10.
In the coming weeks, the 49ers could make additional moves to bring back linebacker Dre Greenlaw, defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos and safety Talanoa Hufanga.
General manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan said they would weigh the short- and long-term effects of each trade scenario.
It is clear that any larger deal that could have been made did not meet all the requirements.
“When I think about the trade deadline with this team, I think our strongest trade deadline is all these guys that have been on IR,” Lynch said on NBC Sports Bay Area’s “49ers Game Plan” last week. “I think we will be strengthened by that.”
Under Lynch’s leadership, the 49ers have been active during recent trade deadlines. Since 2017, they have made mid-season deals to acquire Jimmy Garoppolo, Emmanuel Sanders, Jordan Willis, Charles Omenihu, Christian McCaffrey, Randy Gregory and Chase Young.
Add Davis’ name to the list.
“If we see a fit that can improve our football team, we won’t hesitate to make it happen,” Lynch said last week.
What the low-level move seems to indicate is that the 49ers believe the pieces are already in place for the team to turn the tide and make a run in the second half of the season.
The 49ers are a disappointing 4-4 with nine games left in the season, and the only help along the way will come from players currently on the injured list.
In many ways, the 49ers’ success in the 2024 NFL Draft could have proven the value of holding on to their selections.
After all, seven of the 49ers’ eight draft picks have been active for games. Their eighth draft pick, offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston, was claimed off waivers by the Carolina Panthers before the start of the regular season. He has served as a backup for the past three games.
Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, cornerback Renardo Green, guard Dominick Puni, safety Malik Mustapha, running back Isaac Guerendo and returner Jacob Cowing – all rookies – played crucial roles for the team in the first half of the season.
These draft picks are becoming increasingly valuable to the 49ers, as they are all on four-year contracts with a reasonable future salary cap.
With salaries rising for many of their top players, as well as the looming big-money deal for quarterback Brock Purdy, the 49ers need young players on their first contracts to balance their financial ledger.
The 49ers have seven projected draft picks in the 2025 NFL Draft, including two third-round picks and no fifth-round selection. They also believe they will get three more compensatory draft picks. When acquiring Davis, the 49ers retained all their draft capital for next year.
An argument could be made that they should have tried to trade for a higher profile player, but the 49ers have also found success through under-the-radar players.
They hope Davis fits into the rotation behind starters Maliek Collins and Jordan Elliott. Davis joins a group of backup defensive tackles that includes Kevin Givens, Kalia Davis and rookie Evan Anderson.
Khalil Davis had two sacks last season and has nine tackles and one sack while playing 172 defensive snaps this season. He comes from a similar system under Houston coach DeMeco Ryans, the former 49ers defensive coordinator.
The 49ers should get a boost to their defensive line in the coming weeks as Gross-Matos returns from knee procedure.
There were deals to be made around the league. Teams were buying and selling in a flurry of moves.
The NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals acquired edge rusher Baron Browning from Arizona for a sixth-round draft pick. Would Browning have been an upgrade for the 49ers? He had five sacks in 2022, 4.5 sacks last season and has yet to get to the quarterback this season.
The Detroit Lions, the top team in the NFC, picked up veteran defensive end Za’Darius Smith and a seventh-round pick from Cleveland in 2026 for a fifth-rounder in 2025 and a sixth-rounder in 2026. The Lions were incentivized to do so. to take action. after star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson was lost for the season due to a broken leg.
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded for Green Bay defensive end Preston Smith — and salaries totaling $27.5 million over the next two seasons — for a seventh-round draft pick.
It’s interesting that the Packers, who currently sit in seventh and last place in the NFC playoffs, would trade Smith. Would they have dealt him to the 49ers, a team that was on their schedule?
A year ago, the 49ers made headlines with their deal to acquire Young for a third-round draft pick. He contributed 2.5 sacks in nine regular season games, but had one sack in the Super Bowl.
This year, the 49ers decided the best move was to rely on their scouting department to find a potential value acquisition instead of a recognizable name.
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