The NFL trade deadline hits on Nov. 4 (1 p.m. PST). That’s more than six weeks away, but the 49ers are off to a great start at 2-0 despite being inundated with injuries, which means they may need a piece or two to get to the finish line. There aren’t going to be Kendrick Bournes for every position waiting to come back. Or maybe they see a player with potential they can bring in, and they can get them into the building a bit early. That possibility is there too.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano put a post together
on the trade deadline and had the 49ers listed as a team that could make a move to get some new faces in the building during the season:
Last season fell apart for the Niners because of injuries, and they’re being walloped with them already this season. But they’re also 2-0 and one season removed from an overtime loss in the Super Bowl. It might not be as big a splash as San Francisco made when it acquired running back Christian McCaffrey from the Panthers in the middle of the 2022 season, but it’s easy to imagine the Niners looking for help at wide receiver or in the secondary as the deadline gets closer.
The problem with the 49ers’ 2025 roster is that one piece isn’t going to improve anything exponentially. There’s a great team here, but it consists of quite a few younger pieces, both starters and depth, that may just need experience more than anything. The injury bug may be a blessing in disguise since it’s opened up extensive looks to players like Connor Colby. Sure, losing George Kittle was a blow for the tight end position, but how else would we have found out about Jake Tonges? For the record, Tonges is no Kittle, but I’m saying Kittle’s absence let the 49ers turn to see what else they had, and maybe can keep them in mind when Kittle is back.
The 49ers tend to entertain trades when they are a piece away from a Super Bowl squad. This is how Emmanuel Sanders, Christian McCaffrey, and others entered the picture.
On the line, sure, the pass rush has question marks, but there’s been improvement over the past two weeks. The best one that comes to mind is the Week 1 to Week 2 progression of Mykell Williams and Alfred Collins. So those youngsters are getting valuable experience with the roster as it is—and getting better.
What I’m getting at is—and don’t hate me for this: the 49ers do not have a Super Bowl-caliber squad, yet. They have a very good team, but they also have a lot of rookies and second-year players with potential who need experience. Adding a piece in a trade complicates all of that. Pushes someone back who might just be ready to show they can take advantage of their opportunity.
Though if there are any pieces with a future in mind, I’d look to either left tackle or a wide receiver, each for very different reasons.
For wide receiver, the 49ers have Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings. Kendrick Bourne is back, and Brandon Aiyuk should follow in a few weeks. If anything with Aiyuk goes to a setback, having someone there for depth isn’t a bad idea, but that takes time away from Jordan Watkins. However, he did get back on the injury report on Friday. The question is, does sacrificing a pick truly improve things this year, and couldn’t that pick be better used in the draft?
For left tackle, looking to a trade is not so much for plug and play, or depth, but for the future. This trade isn’t about replacing anyone; it’s about acquiring a young player the 49ers want to sign, who can provide depth and be seen as the future left tackle. The problem is that’s a pretty difficult move to make in the middle of an NFL season. With injuries on the line, however, there would be a chance for them to fill in in case of disaster, while learning under one of, if not the best, in the league to play the position in Trent Williams. I’m not saying replace Williams, I’m saying get someone to learn the position so when and if Williams calls it a career, the 49ers aren’t caught with a glaring hole that they have to “develop” later.
Overall? I’d save the picks. The last two drafts are on a positive trend, and it’s going to make 2026 very fun, but for 2025, let those homegrown picks play and figure things out. Use that pick next year.
Do you think there’s a position the 49ers should target for a trade?
