Stock up: GM John Lynch
The 49ers went into the offseason with relatively little cap space, minimal draft capital, and had their left tackle retire during the draft. Lynch pulled the trigger on a trade that sent star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to Indianapolis for the No. 13 overall pick in the draft. Lynch facilitated two first-round trades to snag Buckner’s replacement, Javon Kinlaw with the 14th overall pick, then another move up in the first round to select wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to fill the void left by wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders who left in free agency. Then Lynch moved a 2020 fifth-round pick and a 2021 third-round selection to scoop up seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams from Washington to replace Staley. There were three clear gaps on the 49ers’ roster, and Lynch did a nice job to fill them with quality players. For now, his stock is soaring.