49ers Acquire Keion White from Patriots

Amid a debilitating injury crisis, the San Francisco 49ers acquired defensive end Keion White from the New England Patriots in a swap that sends a 2026 sixth-round pick to New England while the 49ers receive White and a 2026 seventh-round pick, a deal reported by league insiders and pending a physical. White, 26 and a 2023 second-round pick out of Georgia Tech, flashed pass-rush potential with five sacks in 2024 but has seen his role shrink in 2025 (five games, 123 snaps, no sacks or QB hits and a recent healthy scratch) and is under contract through 2026. The move is intended to address the 49ers’ immediate need for edge help following Nick Bosa’s season-ending injury and other pass-rush absences, adding an affordable player with upside rather than a top-tier veteran. For New England, the trade signals confidence in its current front (Harold Landry III, K’Lavon Chaisson and others) and a preference for accumulating draft assets as the team’s rebuild continues.