Tag: 49ers trades

Budding 49ers star tries recruiting disgruntled former DPOY

One of the 49ers’ budding stars is ready for San Francisco to enter the Myles Garrett sweepstakes.

Myles Garrett, the NFL’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year, made waves on Monday when he requested a trade away from the Cleveland Browns.

That news undoubtedly caught the attention of every NFL front office as they work the phone lines with Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam to try to iron out a trade for one of the league’s top defensive stars.

Count 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir among the active recruiters around the league for Garrett’s services.

Lenoir fired off a hilarious tweet indicating his desire for Garrett to join San Francisco’s defense in the bay area.

The asking price for Garrett will understandably be high. The 29-year-old is smack dab in the middle of his prime and has two years remaining on a record-breaking five-year, $125 million extension that he signed in 2020.

Would San Francisco seriously consider dealing away the No. 11 overall selection in the 2025 NFL draft in order to make a Garrett trade happen? It would take more than the No. 11 pick alone to make a Garrett trade a reality.

The No. 11 overall pick and a package of other picks in this year’s draft or next could possibly get the 49ers to the finish line. San Francisco’s 2026 first-round pick might have to enter the equation as well to get a deal done.

For a superstar of Garrett’s magnitude, the 49ers have to at least kick the tires on that possibility.

The idea of Garrett pairing up with 49ers star edge rusher Nick Bosa is fun to think about. Bosa and Garrett would morph into the most feared pass rushing duo in the NFL overnight if the 49ers could pull it off.

Garrett just amassed an NFL-best 22 tackles for loss last season. The Texas A&M alum also finished second in the NFL with 14 sacks during the 2024 campaign.

Garrett’s 102.5 sacks in his first eight NFL seasons are the fifth-most by any player since sacks became official in 1982.

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John Lynch expects popular name in NFL trade rumors to stay with 49ers

John Lynch: 49ers expect Deebo Samuel back

There are some tough decisions coming up for the San Francisco 49ers as they gear up to have a top-of-market quarterback contract on their books.

One of those tough decisions could involve wide receiver Deebo Samuel, who is coming off a disappointing year and has an expensive contract the 49ers could save some money on by releasing him with a post-June 1 designation.

General manager John Lynch on Wednesday said the team planned to release veteran defensive tackle Javon Hargrave with that designation. He did not say the same for Samuel, who is a popular trade candidate in pre-offseason speculation.

“Yeah,” said Lynch when asked if he expects Samuel back. “A good player and has done a ton for this organization and we’re not in the business of letting good players out of here.”

It appeared throughout the year like Samuel might be in the midst of a rapid decline out of his prime, which catalyzed some of the speculation about his future in San Francisco.

However, late in the year he put together a vintage performance against the Miami Dolphins where he caught seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown, and ran five times for 25 yards. More importantly, he forced six missed tackles on his seven catches, and another on one of his five carries per Pro Football Focus.

The eye test matched the numbers with his burst and explosiveness both reminiscent of the player who carried the 49ers’ offense through the 2021 season, and at various points the following two years.

Perhaps Samuel was dealing with an injury all year or some ailment that kept him from being the best version of himself. If that’s the case and the 49ers are privy to it, it makes a ton of sense to ensure he stays in the Bay Area for at least one more season.

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PFF names one 49ers star as its top trade candidate

Pro Football Focus named one 49ers star as its top trade candidate entering the 2025 NFL offseason.

Pro Football Focus tabbed San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel among its trade candidates for the 2025 NFL offseason.

After the way the 2024 season played out and given the 49ers’ situation at wide receiver, moving on from Samuel might make the most sense.

By his standards, Samuel is coming off a disappointing 2024 campaign. In 15 games, Samuel caught 51 passes for 670 yards with three touchdowns and he carried 42 times for 136 yards and one score.

Samuel’s 51 grabs were his fewest since the 2020 season when he played in just seven games and his 3.2 yards per carry average was the lowest of any season in his career.

In its breakdown of why Samuel could be a logical trade candidate for San Francisco, PFF pointed to the fact that the 49ers’ list of free agents for 2025 and 2026 includes Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Javon Hargrave, Dre Greenlaw, Jauan Jennings, Kyle Juszczyk, Charvarius Ward and Samuel.

That’s a long list of names for general manager John Lynch to weigh the value of. Somebody likely has to be the odd man out.

PFF feels Samuel is an obvious odd man out.

San Francisco drafted Ricky Pearsall in the first round last year and invested $120 million in Brandon Aiyuk, while Jennings (career-high 83.7 PFF receiving grade) has flourished in a more full-fledged role. Meanwhile, Samuel hasn’t enjoyed the success we’re accustomed to seeing, netting a career-low 70.9 PFF overall grade with a career-low 1.60 yards per route run and 8.2 yards after the catch per reception.

Instead of paying Samuel another significant deal, it feels inevitable that the 49ers will sell high after a poor season and recoup their assets, bracing for what could be an offseason of retooling.

As Lynch and the 49ers aim to reconfigure themselves for a run back to contention in 2025, there are some difficult offseason decisions to be made.

The investment in Aiyuk is a hefty chunk over the next four seasons and could inform the franchise’s other decisions at wide receiver. Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL earlier this season versus the Kansas City Chiefs and will be working his way back from the injury.

The Arizona State alum caught 25 passes for 374 yards this past season and is now up to 294 receptions, 4,305 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns in his 49er career.

Pearsall’s emergence throughout the season and in particular in San Francisco’s final two games against Detroit and Arizona was an encouraging sign for the 49ers’ wide receiver makeup moving forward.

The rookie from Florida caught 31 passes for 400 yards and three scores, including 14 receptions for 210 yards and a pair of touchdowns in San Francisco’s final two games.

Samuel is entering the final year of his contract where he carries a $15.8 million cap hit for the 2025 season.

49ers should pounce if 2 disgruntled All-Pro DEs ask for trades

The 49ers can take a huge swing in the offseason on the defensive line.

The 2024 season didn’t go well for the San Francisco 49ers, but it did give the club a clear picture of how it needs to adjust its roster moving into the 2025 season to re-open its Super Bowl window.

One of the issues they’ll need to address in the offseason is their pass rush. They may be able to take a massive swing at that position with a pair of the NFL’s best pass rushers both expressing some discontent with their situations as the 2024 campaign draws to a close.

First, Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett was open about his desire to win and avoid the rebuild the Browns appear to be in line to undergo. He didn’t outright ask to be moved, but he did make it clear he’d prioritize winning.

“I want to stay loyal to a team that showed loyalty to me and faith in me by drafting me,” said Garrett. “But we have to do, at the end of the day, what’s best for us. So, if we have that alignment where this is something that is still possible in the near future — winning, going deep in the playoffs, putting a great defense out there … I think that would really keep my mind at rest and keep me settled.”

Garrett, a three-time All-Pro and the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, has 12.0 sacks this season and has at least 10.0 in seven consecutive seasons.

He wasn’t the only star pass rusher to make noise about his situation though.

Maxx Crosby on The Rush podcast was less blatant about his potential exit, but he did commiserate with Garrett.

“It’s new coaches every other year, and this and this and that, and new teammates” Crosby said. “There’s been plenty of times where I’m like (expletive) this D-line is cold. And then I come back and every single one of them is gone, and it’s like what the (expletive). There’s a lot of things, and so it’s tough, bro. I feel for Myles because he’s in that same boat.”

Crosby also said he intends to have conversations with the Raiders in the offseason now that he has no guaranteed money left on his contract. He sounded further from the exit than Garrett, but it was clear there needs to be some changes with Las Vegas.

If the conversations between those two star edge rushers and their respective teams don’t go well, the 49ers should be first in line to offer up picks to acquire one of them. Their pass rush is too important to their defense to be as ineffective as it has been the last couple of years. Investing heavily at DE would be one quick fix to cure a lot of what ailed them in a dreary 2024 campaign.

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49ers swing trade for DL help at the trade deadline buzzer

The 49ers made a trade!

The San Francisco 49ers made a move in the closing moments of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.

According to the Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the 49ers are dealing a 2026 seventh-round pick to the Houston Texans for defensive tackle Khalil Davis.

It’s not a huge surprise the 49ers and Texans linked up for a trade. They also came together on a deal that sent DT Maliek Collins to San Francisco over the offseason.

Davis, a 2020 sixth-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of Nebraska, bounced around the league a couple of times before finding a home last season in Houston.

As a rookie with the Buccaneers, Davis played in only two games. The next year with the Indianapolis Colts he saw action in only one game before getting let go mid-season.

In 2022 Davis was on practice squads with the Steelers, Buccaneers and Rams.

The Texans signed him during the 2023 preseason and he wound up playing in 15 games for them. He notched 2.0 of his 3.0 career sacks. He added another this year where he’s contributed in all nine of Houston’s games.

It’s unlikely Davis will make a major impact, but he’ll fit in as a rotational interior defensive lineman where San Francisco has been thin since DT Javon Hargrave went down. Adding depth for the price of a future seventh-round pick is a nice move for the 49ers.

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Report: 49ers won’t get chance to add rising star DE at trade deadline

It doesn’t sound like the 49ers will be acquiring DE Azeez Ojulari.

The San Francisco 49ers are running out of options to add defensive end help ahead of the NFL trade deadline.

Well before Tuesday’s 1:00pm deadline, the Kansas City Chiefs acquired DE Josh Uche from the New England Patriots. On Tuesday, DE Za’Darius Smith was traded by the Cleveland Browns to the Detroit Lions. After that, the Green Bay Packers dealt DE Preston Smith to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

San Francisco might have been aiming to acquire New York Giants DE Azeez Ojulari, but it sounds like he won’t be on the move.

NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reported Ojulari isn’t likely to get dealt after the Giants held firm on a steep asking price for the 24-year-old.

It’s not a huge surprise the 49ers didn’t want to overpay for a potential rental. Ojulari is in the final year of his contract and figures to command a sizable deal in free agency. He has 6.0 sacks in nine games this season and has stayed healthy after dealing with injuries that limited him to 18 games across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

For San Francisco, draft capital is going to be important piece of their future with so a roster that will likely rely less on veterans over the next couple of seasons. They’ll need premium picks to replenish their roster, and it’s unlikely they’ll be able to retain Ojulari in free agency.

The 49ers need help on the defensive line, but it doesn’t sound like it’ll come in a trade with the Giants.

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Report offers bad news for 49ers with 2 high-priced trade targets

Reunions with DJ Jones or DeForest Buckner don’t appear to be on the table for the 49ers.

It’s unclear whether the San Francisco 49ers’ lack of activity in the trade market is a sign of a quiet trade deadline, or a calm before the storm.

The 49ers may be aiming to bolster a handful of positions at the deadline, but the interior of the defensive line remains perhaps their biggest area of need following defensive tackle Javon Hargrave’s season-ending triceps injury.

Unfortunately for San Francisco, the two biggest names floating around the trade rumor mill aren’t anticipated to be available.

The Athletic’s Diana Russini on Saturday reported neither Indianapolis Colts DT DeForest Buckner nor Denver Broncos DT DJ Jones are expected to be available before Tuesday’s trade deadline.

Both former 49ers would plug into San Francisco’s current defensive line and offer upgrades in run stopping and as pass rushers. The 49ers are working with a rotating cast of replacements for Hargrave, and they’ve now dipped into their practice squad to bring undrafted rookie Evan Anderson into that rotation.

Jones is in the final year of a three-year, $30 million deal he signed with Denver ahead of the 2022 season. The 2017 sixth-round pick of the 49ers has 11.0 sacks and 32 tackles for loss across 100 games in the NFL.

Buckner, a first-round pick in the 2016 draft by the 49ers, is in the first year of a two-year, $46 million extension he signed this offseason. He’s due $23 million guaranteed next year, with no guaranteed money in 2026 before the contract voids in 2027 per Over the Cap.

The 49ers could comfortably fit both players under the salary cap which helps if they want to try and overpay to coax the Broncos or Colts into moving one of their starting defensive tackles.

Russini also confirmed reporting that Patriots DT Davon Godchaux is available. That may be the kind of move the 49ers have to settle for since the big swings for Buckner or Jones don’t appear to be on the table.

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49ers will have to fight off division rival to trade for breakout star DE

The Cardinals have called the Giants about Azeez Ojulari. The 49ers should do the same.

Finding help in the trade market will be imperative for the San Francisco 49ers getting back on track to make a Super Bowl run.

There may also be an additional motivation for the 49ers to get active before the trade deadline: keeping a potential season-changing player away from an NFC West rival.

According to the Athletic’s Diana Russini, the New York Giants are taking calls on breakout star edge rusher Azeez Ojulari. One of the teams keeping in touch with them is the NFC West-leading Arizona Cardinals.

Via the Athletic:

Teams that are keeping an eye on the 24-year-old include the Falcons, Cardinals and Bengals. The Giants are already paying Brian Burns and spent a top-five pick on Kayvon Thibodeaux, so with Ojulari set to hit free agency after the season, GM Joe Schoen is trying to get something in return for him now.

Ojulari this season has 19 pressures and 6.0 sacks through eight games after having his 2022 and 2023 seasons cut short due to injury.

He’s not a particularly effective run stopper, but the 49ers more desperately need pass rush help. Ojulari would quickly bolster a defensive end group that hasn’t gotten much production outside of Nick Bosa.

The Cardinals are even more desperate for help on the defensive side. They’re 29th in the NFL in pressure rate according to Pro Football Reference and their 15 sacks are tied for 24th in the NFL. Getting a player like Ojulari could help boost their chances of staying atop the division.

Perhaps the 49ers aren’t interested in making a trade or getting in a bidding war for a defensive end. If it means keeping the Cardinals from bolstering their defense while simultaneously helping their own chances to make the Super Bowl though, they should be absolutely get involved.

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49ers should make no-brainer move, trade for former All-Pro defensive lineman

This is a no-brainer move the 49ers should make if it’s there.

There’s a clear top need for the San Francisco 49ers with the 2024 NFL trade deadline approaching.

While the 49ers could use depth at several positions, the defensive line is the unit that they’d benefit the most from upgrading. Despite improved production in the secondary, San Francisco’s defensive philosophy revolves disruptive play up front.

If the Indianapolis Colts are willing to do business, the 49ers should aim to bring back their former first-round pick DeForest Buckner. He was on IR with a high ankle sprain, but returned for the Colts’ Week 8 matchup with the Houston Texans.

From the 49ers’ perspective, the fit is a no-brainer despite the injury.

They need an interior defensive lineman who can push the pocket as a pass rusher while also holding up well against the run. Buckner one of the most consistent players at the position in the NFL. He’s never had fewer than 48 pressures in a season, and he’s had at least 7.0 sacks every year since 2019. Not to mention his fit would be seamless on a club he spent the first four years of his career with.

The Colts signed Buckner, 30,  to a two-year, $46 million deal in the offseason. He’ll be owed $23 million guaranteed next year with no additional guaranteed money after that. San Francisco could drop his cap hit next year by either restructuring his deal or extending him and spreading that cap hit out over a few seasons.

It’s a little murkier from the Colts’ perspective. They’re 4-4 heading into Week 9 and two games back of the AFC South-leading Texans.

They’ve also made a change at quarterback by plugging in veteran Joe Flacco for struggling 2023 first-round pick Anthony Richardson. That’s a clear indication they’re trying to win now and probably not eager to give up a key piece of their defensive line.

However, if Indianapolis falls to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday in their final game before the trade deadline, they might be more eager to make a deal and recoup an asset or two for Buckner knowing the playoffs are probably not in the cards for them this season.

If Buckner can be had for something like a third or fourth-round pick in next year’s draft, the 49ers should be first in line to make that deal.

Trading him away initially was a mistake. Trading to get him back could save their season.

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49ers can’t continue waiting to get aggressive in trade market

The 49ers can’t sit around and wait for the trade market to dry up.

It’s clear after eight weeks that the San Francisco 49ers’ roster, as currently constructed, isn’t a viable Super Bowl contender.

Injuries have played a role, to be sure, but the 49ers badly need help at multiple positions if they’re going to make a run after their Week 9 Bye.

Unfortunately for the 49ers, they won’t have another game before the Nov. 5 trade deadline. They know everything they’re going to know about their roster by the time the deadline passes, save for how running back Christian McCaffrey will respond as he ramps up to return from his Achilles tendinitis.

San Francisco has been aggressive in the trade market in the past, and it’s time for them to hit the gas pedal again.

The Kansas City Chiefs, a Super Bowl contender, have already acquired wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans and edge rusher Josh Uche from the New England Patriots. Hopkins was available for a conditional fifth-round pick in the 2025 draft. Uche was had for a 2026 sixth-round selection.

Perhaps San Francisco wasn’t looking for a receiver of Hopkins’s caliber, but they need edge help and Uche would have been an upgrade over a player like Robert Beal.

Elsewhere in the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens bolstered their receiving corps by sending a 2025 fifth-round pick to the Carolina Panthers in exchange for WR Diontae Johnson and a 2025 sixth-round pick.

In the NFC, the Minnesota Vikings lost left tackle Christian Darrisaw to a season-ending knee injury. They filled that gaping hole by dealing a conditional 2026 fifth-round pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for left tackle Cam Robinson and a conditional seventh-round pick.

These are Super Bowl contenders that have identified areas of weakness on their rosters and sent out relatively limited draft capital to buttress them. If the 49ers want to be in that group, they should be acting now before other contenders start scooping up available contributors.

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