Khalil Davis trade: 49ers trade for another DeMeco Ryans Texans defender

Just before the trade deadline, the San Francisco 49ers acquired defensive tackle Khalil Davis in a trade with Houston Texas for an election in 2026 7th round, according to a report by Dianna Russini.

Why did the 49ers trade for Davis?

The Niners clearly needed to bolster their depth along the defensive front and were seemingly able to get at least one deal done before the buzzer. Although he was far from a hitter, Davis has been a solid rotational interior defensive lineman throughout his career.

The assumption might be that Davis’ role won’t be the same as Collins or Omenihu, and at 6’2, 315 pounds, his primary duty is to stop the run. Davis’ playing time fluctuated with the Texans this season. He played somewhere between 21 and 50 percent of the snaps. But in most games this season, Davis has had more pass-rushing snaps than run snaps.

Javon Hargrave is out for the season with a partially torn triceps. The 49ers have been busted at defensive tackle this season as Jordan Elliott, Kalia Davis and Kevin Givens have all missed time. Evan Anderson is a rookie undrafted free agent. Anderson’s upside is palpable, but depth has been a concern since Hargrave’s loss.

Davis has four tackles for loss, one sack and three quarterback hits this season. He had his best game against the New England Patriots offensive line, as most players do. Davis had four touchdowns on 22 pass-rushing snaps. He also had productive games against the Chicago Bears and Indianapolis Colts. Perhaps the most promising sign when you look at Davis’ box score is that his production remains while his snap numbers increase.

Who is Khalil Davis?

Originally a 6th round pick in the 2020 draft by Tampa Bay BuccaneersDavis appeared in just two games as a rookie before being claimed off waivers Indianapolis Colts. He appeared in just one game with Indy before being released, bouncing around the practice squads and even joining the USFL briefly before catching on in Houston last year.

Davis will be reunited with former Texans defensive tackle Malik Collins along the 49ers front. This is the third time the 49ers have traded for a defensive lineman from the Houston Texans.

They have had two successful trades before acquiring Davis. Collins was teammates with Davis. Before that, the Niners acquired Charles Omenihu, who was a breakout star for the 49ers in 2022.

What does Davis mean for 49ers salary cap?

Davis is a free agent after this season. After proration, he will cost the 49ers under $650,000 against the cap.

A good showing and Davis could earn himself a future contract with the 49ers. Jones and Davis are in the final years of their contracts. Hargrave is coming off a season-ending knee injury. That leaves Elliott, Collins and Anderson.

Where do the 49ers draft after trading for Davis?

The seventh-round pick the Niners used to acquire Davis was a compensatory pick.

• Round 1
• Round 2
• Round 3
• Round 3 (compensatory)
• Round 4
• Round 6

They forfeited their fifth-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft to a payroll miscalculation.