For what seemed like months, there was speculation that the San Francisco 49ers might trade for Trey Hendrickson. What about a linebacker? Jaelan Phillips became a topic of online discussion.
There is no doubt the Niners would be better if they had Hendrickson on the roster. Dallas traded for Quinnen Williams, and he would have looked great in scarlet and gold—the Bryant Young of the 2020s.
This afternoon's game against the Los Angeles Rams started ugly on defense. Really ugly. And they struggled in the second half. But that does not mean the 49ers should have made a trade. Unless a team is truly one player away, the endgame is not a one-season affair. And San Francisco needs more than one player.
Making those kinds of trades is not simply a scheme and roster fit. If it's free agency, money is the issue, but with a trade, what are you giving up? The Niners had no first-round picks for years after the Trey Lance trade. It would have been great if Lance had worked out. And I don't begrudge John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan their swing for the fences, but boy, it would have been nice to have had those draft picks.
Quinnen Williams required two 1st rounders plus the financial factor. Hendrickson, if he had been available, would also have required a first, and there would have been an economic outlay. The reason he was potentially available is that Cincinnati could not come to terms with the market-breaking contract he wants. He'd like the same from the 49ers. Jed York is reportedly not pleased with the Brandon Aiyuk deal negotiated a few years ago. Hendrickson would want much more than that.
Another factor rarely mentioned is personality. Some players rub teammates the wrong way. Some players don't fit the culture of a franchise. I am not suggesting in any way that players rumored to be of interest to the Niners have those issues; I am just saying that it is something a GM would be wise to take into consideration, and I am sure that has scuttled many a deal over the years. (Carlos Torres goes into detail on this issue in this article.)
I have a work colleague whose son had an 11-year career in the NFL. He played for six different franchises and, late in 2019, played for the Niners for a few months. He told her the Niners were an entirely different organization. The locker room chemistry and the attitudes were unlike anywhere else. She said he raved about it. It's important that Lynch and Shanahan maintain that.
The 49ers' issues—especially on defense, where all the speculation was concentrated—are primarily health-related, not talent-based. Sure, there is a need for a pass rusher right now, but that is largely because Nick Bosa is gone for the season, Mykel Williams (who was developing) is out for the season, and Bryce Huff has missed time.
The run defense was poor last year, which is why Lynch drafted so many to fix it. But those players got hurt. Bryce Huff is a situational pass rusher, not someone who can set the edge. Philadelphia tried to make him a linebacker, and it didn't work out.
The coverage on tight ends was awful today. Luke Gifford is just not a good coverage linebacker. Tatum Bethune did not get everyone set up properly. Put Fred Warner back there, and both of those problems are solved.
The roster is not weak. It is simply forced to play the preseason starters—that is, backups. Any team in that position would struggle. Not only am I fine with not trading for a big name, but I don't want Lynch to spend another first-round pick next year on a pass rusher. We have other, bigger needs, such as the offensive line (in three spots) and a corner to replace Renardo Green, who has struggled.
Fans see promise in the new, what a friend of mine once called "fatty expressions of hope." But the best franchises play the long game and are prudent. We've seen the Rams achieve success by bringing in players via trades, but the Dolphins have also taken that route with little to show for it. The top teams in the league stay close to home. Nine of the Eagles' starters on offense are draftees, including all five of their offensive linemen. Rather than trading for a big-name tackle, Philadelphia kept its draft picks and brought in the driving force for last year's Super Bowl win.
The Niners have made splashes in the past. The trade for Trent Williams was a steal, and the pressure from Joe Staley's retirement was significant. But losing talent to injuries is not the same thing. It's temporary. The trade for Christian McCaffrey was monumental, but his skills seemed designed for Kyle Shanahan's scheme.
The Niners made the right decision this fall. Let's hope next spring in Pittsburgh, the prospects receiving phone calls from Lynch are stars and wear the scarlet and gold for years to come.