Three Deadline Day Trades That Make Sense for the 49ers
The November 5th NFL Trade Deadline is fast approaching and some teams are already making moves to help improve their current rosters or help them set up for future success. The San Francisco 49ers have Super Bowl aspirations this year and with just under $50 million in cap space, second most in the league just behind the Cleveland Browns, they have the ability to make some moves. With quarterback Brock Purdy expected to sign a lucrative deal after the season, any big move will likely just be a “rental” for the year. Sitting at a surprising 4-4 and with injuries piling up, here are three deadline-day trades that make sense for the 49ers, improving the roster and getting them back to the promised land.
1. Wide Receiver
Newly signed, star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk is out for the year with a torn ACL. Wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings have both missed multiple games so far this year with injuries and illness. First-round rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was shot in an armed robbery attempt during the preseason and didn’t make his debut until week seven. Adding a veteran to the wide receiver makes a lot of sense for the team. It could help spread the field a little more and give Purdy another target. Defenses have been relentlessly blitzing the 49ers offense this year, not allowing plays to develop or causing Brock to scramble outside the pocket. Another wide receiver could help prevent defenses from being able to gameplan that way.
Names to consider: Kendrick Bourne, Darius Slayton, and Jakobi Meyers.
2. Defensive Tackle
Similar to wide receiver, the 49ers lost a key player on the defensive side of the ball, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, to a torn tricep suffered in Week Three this year. Maliek Collins and Jordan Elliott have been good enough to have the rush defense rank in the top 10 of the league and middle of the pack in sacks, but it certainly is not the feared defensive front we’ve been used to seeing from this team. Adding a big body at the position could get them to that elite tier once again. They’re good at stuffing the run in their current form, but they could end up being great. It would also allow them some depth at the position, which is huge for teams with Super Bowl aspirations and a longer season, which takes a toll on the body.
Names to consider: Davon Godchaux, Arik Armstead, and D.J. Jones.
3. Edge Rusher
Depth at the defensive end position is such a luxury to have in the NFL. Nick Bosa, Leonard Floyd, and Sam Okuayinonu have been great so far this season, continually pressuring the quarterback, sealing the edge, and stuffing the run. That constant work does take a toll on a player, especially down the stretch of a long NFL season. Adding another edge rusher would be huge for the current roster and would give their starters some much-needed spells without a huge drop-off. Being able to put pressure on the quarterback, especially in the playoffs, could be the difference between a parade in San Francisco and another heartbreak in the Super Bowl.
Names to consider: Za’Darius Smith, Azeez Ojulari, and Jadeveon Clowney.
