With Tuesday's NFL trade deadline approaching, San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch suggested that a roster move doesn't seem imminent. However, the team is actively exploring its options.
"The phones have been active," Lynch told Tim Kawakami on The TK Show podcast. "You're always listening, you're asking, you're fielding calls. And last year, I can tell you, Chase Young, we had talked about it probably 10 days earlier, prior to the deadline, and it didn't come to fruition until the day of. It just happened, and it happened really quick, and that can happen.
"So we always try to operate with intent and see if things are a fit. We'll see if it does. I think there's this interesting expectation, because we've done them so much, that every year you do it, and that's not the case. You do it when it makes sense. It seems like it's made sense a lot, and it has helped our team, I will say that."
The 49ers are also expecting roster reinforcements from players returning from injury. They recently opened practice windows for running back Christian McCaffrey and offensive lineman Jon Feliciano and saw wide receiver Jauan Jennings and kicker Jake Moody return to the field. Lynch noted that defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos might not be far behind.
Lynch highlighted the team's selective approach to trades, using the defensive line as an example.
"We've had good success with really high-end impactful players," Lynch said. "When you lose some, it's hard to fix. And so you don't want to just fix with anyone. You want to fix with people that can move the needle. And we do like some of the players that we have, like Evan Anderson, a rookie free agent, has played some good football for us.
"So, you weigh all those things, and we'll see. That is always a position we're looking [at] because of what I mentioned—we play so many of those guys."
While Lynch acknowledged that the team continues to evaluate options, he expressed confidence in the defensive line group already in place. He believes Gross-Matos, in particular, has untapped potential.
"We just need to get him healthy and back out on the field," Lynch concluded.
You can listen to Lynch's entire interview below.