Baldy: 49ers should pursue this star defender before the trade deadline

With just hours remaining until the NFL trade deadline, teams have one last chance to strengthen their rosters for the final stretch of the 2024 season. The San Francisco 49ers, plagued by injuries, could benefit from reinforcements at several positions. NFL analyst Brian Baldinger believes there's one player general manager John Lynch should target before the window closes.

"Honestly, if I was John Lynch, I would pick up the phone and call [Panthers GM] Dan Morgan in Carolina and just see what it would take to get Jadeveon Clowney," Baldinger said Tuesday morning on Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game. "Jadeveon Clowney is better than Chase Young (whom the 49ers traded for last year). He plays the game harder. He is an elite athlete. He just brings juice to your team.

"He's not a great pass rusher. Chase wasn't either. But he brings a ton of energy. He has incredible length. He's excellent against the run. And when you get into space, and you need athletes that close space up to chase people down, he can still run and chase with the best of them."

Clowney, a former No. 1 overall pick, is in his 11th NFL season. He recorded 9.5 sacks last season with the Baltimore Ravens but has underperformed this year with the Panthers, notching just one sack through seven starts. Still, Baldinger feels he'd be a good fit for the 49ers.

"He's sitting there in Carolina," Baldinger continued. "He just had a great game last week. But I feel like Jadeveon is a guy that I would want on my team. He was part of Baltimore's defense last year and had 9.5 sacks. They were the number one defensive football. They led the league in takeaways. They gave up the fewest points, and he was a big part of that.

"I just think he's the right attitude, experience. I think [DE] Nick [Bosa] would love to have him in the room. I feel like that's the guy that, if I was John Lynch, I would try to get."

You can listen to Baldinger's entire interview below.