San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch joined KNBR on Thursday to discuss the team as it heads into its regular-season opener against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
Former Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil Mack was traded to the Chicago Bears this past weekend, and Lynch has previously stated that the 49ers were aggressive in pursuing the NFL star.
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell continues to hold out, and there has been a lot of discussion from the media on whether or not he should be traded.
Lynch knows the 49ers aren't going to be able to acquire every big-name NFL player who becomes available. That isn't realistic in the league. However, the general manager believes one Bay Area team is creating unrealistic expectations when it comes to pulling off high-profile deals.
Of course, Bell's name wasn't actually mentioned because that could get the 49ers in trouble. Instead, he was referred to as "a guy who's pretty high profile that's holding out" when asking Lynch about the running back. Does the general manager feel good about the team's running back situation as it stands or would it explore potential options?
"We always will explore," Lynch said on the "Tolbert & Lund" show. "I'm figuring out that the (Golden State) Warriors, our friends across the Bay, have created a real tough situation because every time a star player [becomes available], everyone says, 'Just go get him!' You're making it really hard on us, but we're trying."
Lynch reiterated that the 49ers were "extremely aggressive" in pursuing Mack via a trade with Oakland, but they also want to build a team that can sustain success. As for a potential upgrade at running back, he is excited about the players the 49ers have right now.
Lynch continued: "Would you love a player like the guy you're talking about (Bell)? Sure. But we've also got to stay measured here and keep on having a big picture. We're excited to go compete with the group we have."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.
