The San Francisco 49ers made a notable move this week to strengthen their defensive front, acquiring defensive lineman Keion White from the New England Patriots. Head coach Kyle Shanahan joined Bay Area radio station KNBR this week to discuss how the trade came together and offered insight into what happens behind the scenes when the 49ers consider a potential deal.
Shanahan explained that front offices across the NFL are in constant communication, especially when mutual interest arises between teams. However, during the season, Shanahan's time is limited as he focuses on preparing weekly game plans for the 49ers' upcoming opponents.
"I'm in the middle of game plan and doing stuff," Shanahan said. "So usually, it's more [GM] John [Lynch] will come down and be like, 'Hey, we got this guy available. It's going to take this.' And usually, my first question is, 'How does that affect us next year? What does that mean from a draft standpoint? What does it mean from a cap standpoint?'"
When a potential trade presents itself, the 49ers prefer to ensure it's not just a one-season rental, hoping to identify players with multiple years remaining on their contracts.
Shanahan continued, "And usually, when he says, 'It's not that bad. It shouldn't hurt us too much,' then I'm usually like, 'All right, well, what's your guys' evaluation of all these guys?' And then he'll tell me what he thinks. He'll tell me what everybody upstairs thinks."
Once the initial discussions take place, Shanahan ensures that the assistant coaches have an opportunity to weigh in, helping the staff reach a unified decision.
"And then, when it's someone I've played against, and I've got an idea, and we see what the risk-reward is on what we're giving up, it moves pretty fast. And then we all sign off on it."
According to Shanahan, the Keion White trade developed quickly.
"That came up one morning, and we were going to do it in the next few hours," he said.
The media reported the deal on Tuesday, and by Wednesday, White was on the practice field with his new teammates.
The 49ers may not be done dealing yet. With the NFL trade deadline approaching on Tuesday, November 4, there's still time for San Francisco to explore additional deals to strengthen the roster for the second half of the season.