Your first reaction might be to roll your eyes at this trade suggestion, but one ESPN analyst thinks the San Francisco 49ers should look within the NFC West to address their wide receiver needs following the loss of Brandon Aiyuk to a torn ACL and MCL.
ESPN recently examined the trade landscape (h/t Taylor Wirth of NBC Sports Bay Area for the find), suggesting that the 49ers may be looking to make a move to strengthen their roster for the second half of the season. Injuries have ravaged the team, with Aiyuk becoming the 10th player to land on injured reserve.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan, while addressing the media this week, urged caution. He emphasized that the 49ers explore all options but added, "Those answers aren't always out there. You've got to be ready to get people better in your building and deal with what you've got in your building. And if you ever find something that makes sense, we will never hesitate on it, but it's not always available like you hope it is."
ESPN's Seth Walder suggested that the 49ers be bold and target Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp in a potential trade.
"The plethora of playmakers the 49ers appeared to have in August is suddenly thin," Walder explained. "Brandon Aiyuk is out for the season, McCaffrey is still out and Deebo Samuel Sr. is dealing with a form of pneumonia. Kupp, who is expected to return soon from an ankle injury, has managed 2.0 yards per route run since the start of 2023 and has long had success under coach Sean McVay, so one would think Kyle Shanahan could get the most out of him, too."
But why would the Rams entertain such a trade with a division rival? Walder argues that it could make sense for McVay to force the 49ers to give up valuable draft capital.
"If the Rams are up for dealing Kupp, San Francisco should be the first place they look; it's better to take draft capital from your rival than anyone else," Walder concluded.
Kupp had an outstanding 2021 season, leading the NFL with 145 receptions, 1,947 yards, and 16 touchdowns. However, he hasn't surpassed 812 receiving yards in a season since, and injuries have kept him off the field. He's missed 17 games over the past three seasons, including four this season due to the aforementioned ankle injury.
A recent report indicated that the Rams might be willing to part with Kupp for the right price. However, aiding a division rival seems unlikely.