1 move 49ers must make to keep up with Rams after Myles Garrett trade

The San Francisco 49ers were one of the NFL’s most impressive teams a season ago. San Francisco went surprisingly far in the playoffs despite dealing with multiple major injuries to important players. If the 49ers can get healthy in 2026, there’s legitimate reason to believe they could compete for a Super Bowl.

But everything changed on Monday when the Rams acquired Myles Garrett in a trade with the Browns. Now the Rams look destined to make it to Super Bowl 61 and are the early favorite to win the big game.

Perhaps the most upset player on the 49ers is left tackle Trent Williams. The 37-year-old veteran will be one of the players tasked with stopping Garrett twice a year.

Williams did not hold back when giving his reaction to the Garrett trade.

“Same as everybody, everybody that’s not in Rams country. It sucks,” Williams said, per Vic Tafur.

The 49ers will get a look at Garrett right away, as they face off against the Rams in Week 1 from Australia.

“Myles, the scary part is he’s still a young player, so he’s still going to get better,” Williams continued, per 49erswebzone. “I know it’s scary after seeing what he did last year. I’m never expecting to run into the same player. I know that we see him Week 1 in Australia. He probably will be a little bit better than he was the last time I seen him.”

Now San Francisco looks like they could be behind in the NFC West arms race. Is there a way that they can close the gap before the regular season?

The 49ers need to make one move to keep up with the Rams after Monday’s huge Garrett trade.

Should the 49ers counter Garrett by upgrading their defense or offensive line?

The first step for the 49ers is figuring out the best way they can improve their roster after the Garrett trade.

While it is possible for San Francisco to pull off a big trade of their own, that may not be the smartest approach. The 49ers would have to pay a premium for an elite player, and perhaps even a bit extra with every other team understanding why the trade is happening right now.

If the 49ers remain patient, they can make a concerted effort to add Garrett neutralizers during the 2027 offseason. But for now, overpaying is a mistake.

There’s also the question: would the 49ers get the best results from upgrading their offense, or adding a monster like Garrett on their defense?

Adding on offense feels like the obvious decision. After all, San Francisco’s offense is the unit at risk of getting steamrolled by Garrett. The 49ers could upgrade the offensive line, building a wall in front of the star pass rusher. Or they could opt for more firepower at the skill positions. That would essentially be San Francisco acknowledging that each game against LA will become a shootout.

Meanwhile, the 49ers could fight fire with fire and add an elite defender of their own. Remember, Nick Bosa is still recovering from injury and could use some help early in teh season. But once he’s fully healthy, the defense could be even more dangerous.

Both approaches are valid, but adding on the offensive line feels like the right move.

San Francisco needs to give Taylor Decker a call ASAP

If the 49ers are looking for an economy solution, then one veteran offensive lineman could be the perfect option.

The Lions released Taylor Decker back in March just before the beginning of NFL free agency.

Decker started at left tackle for the past 10 years in Detroit and looked pretty good during the 2025 season. Ultimately, he was a cap casualty more than anything else. It is important to remember that Detroit did not cut him because of the quality of his play.

The 49ers should look into signing Decker to a one-year deal at some point during training camp. They could get a few big benefits out of adding a reliable veteran like Decker.

San Francisco does already have Colton McKivitz starting at right tackle. But Decker is unquestionably a better pass protector, even if he is used to doing that on the other side of the line. Decker and Williams would be excellent bookend tackles who could keep Brock Purdy upright quite easily.

Adding Decker comes with the added bonus of creating some elite depth at the tackle position. If Williams suffers an injury, the 49ers could always throw Decker over to the left side and put McKivitz back in the starting lineup.

Realistically, this is not enough by itself to stop an elite edge rusher like Garrett. But it would give the 49ers more answers for slowing Garrett down and possibly getting a win against the Rams.

The best part is that Decker is sitting out there and waiting to play for a contender. San Francisco needs to be the team that lands him.

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