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The NFL trade deadline is still a couple of weeks away. However, at 3-3, the San Francisco 49ers might start examining their depth chart more closely and determining how they can bolster some positions.
While head coach Kyle Shanahan is focused on the Kansas City Chiefs, he and general manager John Lynch regularly speak about roster needs, factoring in players who are expected to return from injuries. For example, the team could get tackle
Trent Williams (ankle) and defensive end
Nick Bosa (groin) back this week. All signs point towards running back
Elijah Mitchell (knee) possibly returning after the bye week.
For now, Lynch and his staff are in charge of examining trade options.
"
They try to get all the options out there, and sometimes there's options, sometimes there's not," Shanahan said last week. "So it doesn't mean, just because you have issues, you can go get someone. But every once in a while, the stars align, something could work. Hopefully, if there is something that can help us, we'll figure that out."
The 49ers have
reportedly shown interest in Carolina Panthers running back
Christian McCaffrey. The level of that interest remains unknown. Maybe they just inquired about the veteran player. Adding McCaffrey feels too splashy a move for the 49ers, given their recent history, and of course, their lack of premium draft capital.
Longtime 49ers beat writer Matt Barrows of The Athletic was asked what moves, if any, Lynch and Shanahan might make.
He threw out a few realistic options for the Niners. The first is a move for a right tackle of the future, like New England's
Isaiah Wynn or Philadelphia's
Andre Dillard. Mike McGlinchey is in the final year of his rookie deal—the
fifth-year option the 49ers picked up last offseason.
If they are interested in dealing with Carolina, Barrows suggests defensive tackle
Derrick Brown as an option. Former first-round pick Javon Kinlaw cannot stay on the field. He is currently dealing with a setback with his surgically repaired knee.
What about another tight end? There have been offseasons when the 49ers looked into adding another skilled veteran tight end to pair with
George Kittle. The drop-off from Kittle to those behind him on the depth chart is significant, and Kittle has missed 13 games over the past three seasons due to injuries.
Noting that it seems unlikely, the 49ers beat writer feels another former Hawkeye, Detroit Lions tight end
T.J. Hockenson, would be a perfect fit for Shanahan's offense.
"He's perhaps the most Kittle-like tight end outside of San Francisco," wrote Barrows, "he'd fit perfectly with the team's offensive ethos and he's currently on a bad team that may want to invest in draft picks. A second-rounder for Hockenson? Totally worth it. I'd throw in a couple of sixths, too."
Click here to read Barrows' entire mailbag feature for The Athletic.
A questionable rumor surfaced on Wednesday regarding the Pittsburgh Steelers' interest in San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Sports Illustrated contributor Noah Strackbein reported that the AFC team was seemingly confident they could pull off a trade for Aiyuk.
However, the credibility of this report comes into question due to the assertion that the Steelers believe they could acquire Aiyuk at a bargain price, possibly in exchange for a second-round draft pick and a late-round selection.
RELATED: Steelers believe they can acquire Aiyuk at a
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy achieved a remarkable feat in 2023, setting a single-season franchise record with 4,280 passing yards. This accomplishment is noteworthy, considering the illustrious quarterbacks who have graced the organization's history.
A significant portion of those yards came from wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who amassed a career-high and team-leading 1,342 receiving yards. Most of his 75 catches originated from passes thrown by Purdy.
Amidst significant offseason chatter surrounding the 49ers' star receiver, including several unsubstantiated trade rumors, Aiyuk's future remains uncertain. Former NFL player James Jones, now an analyst, expressed concern for Purdy should Aiyuk's tenure in the Bay Area come to an end.
"I
The San Francisco 49ers first selection in next week's draft comes at No. 31 overall. However, NFL Media analyst Chad Reuter doesn't have the Bay Area team remaining at that spot in the first round. In his seven-round mock draft, he envisions the 49ers striking a deal with the Green Bay Packers to move up six spots to No. 25 overall, where they select former Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry.
Reuter notes, "Whether it's for a cornerback like McKinstry, an offensive lineman or a receiver, the 49ers could very well give up a mid-round pick to acquire one of the few missing pieces on an otherwise potent roster."
The rest of the mock draft reveals at least part of the
The San Francisco 49ers hold the No. 31 overall pick, but speculation abounds that they may seek to move before or during the first round of next week's NFL Draft. With the offensive line as a prime target for improvement and the position going mostly ignored in free agency, a strategic trade-up to acquire an impact player could be in the cards.
Alyssa Barbieri proposes such a scenario in her latest mock draft for USA Today's Touchdown Wire. Barbieri envisions the 49ers trading with the Miami Dolphins to move up 10 spots, selecting former Alabama offensive lineman JC Latham.
Latham started 27 games
