Kyle Shanahan said the 49ers were unlikely to be players at the trade deadline. A few hours later, San Francisco reportedly made a trade.
The 49ers are acquiring Charles Omenihu, a 24-year-old defensive end from the Houston Texans, in exchange for a late-round draft pick in 2023, according to reports.
Omenihu was selected in the fifth round by the Texans out of the University of Texas in 2019. He’s appeared in 35 games for Houston over the last three seasons, sacking the quarterback seven times during that span. While that number doesn’t jump off the page, Omenihu’s pass rushing has been extremely effective this season according to Pro Football Focus. His PFF pass rush grade is 80.3 in 2021, which is the 14th best mark amongst all NFL edge rushers.
The 49ers’ 16 sacks this year are 20th in the NFL, and a disappointing figure for a team that is supposed to have some of the best pass rushing talent in the league. Behind Nick Bosa and Dee Ford, nobody else has established themselves as a reliable edge presence this season, giving Omenihu an opportunity to make an impact.