The past week and a half, I’ve read way too much about a quarterback “controversy”. That conversation is about as useless as the police officer pulling over a Waymo during a DUI stop. The real conversation worth having is the trade conversation: do the 49ers change course on their “reload” year and cash in some chips for a star pass rusher?
The whole idea of a “reload” year is that you take gambles on young guys with cheap contracts. Across Dee Winters, Mykel Williams, Renardo Green, Upton Stout,
and Alfred Collins, the 49ers went into the season with total question marks for key starters. If those question marks are answered by season’s end, then you successfully reloaded and the “window” is open again.
At this point in the season, I can see the new window starting to materialize. I’m not saying it’s there yet, but the outline of the window is coming into view. It’s filled in with signature rookie moments in divisional games. Mykel Williams took up multiple blockers on Nick Bosa’s game-winning sack against the Seahawks. Upton Stout had the critical PBU against the Cardinals on third down. Alfred Collins literally owns the Rams now.
They’re showing us that when put in the right positions, they have the talent and presence of mind to make game-winning plays that few players can make. These young guys are good enough to put up a competent effort without needing much support, but the 49ers wouldn’t be getting the most they possibly could out of what these guys uniquely do well. A star pass-rusher of Trey Hendrickson or Jeffrey Simmons’ caliber can put them in better positions to truly affect the game.
Tampa Bay is the exact kind of opponent that, without that added pass rush firepower, will be a taxing 50-50 shootout.
The 49ers have played a version of the Bucs almost every week. They’ve faced talented quarterbacks with elite offensive weapons. They’ve faced strong defensive lines masking linebackers that can’t cover.
If Mac Jones can hang tough against the Rams – who have a much fiercer pass rush from the edges – then imagine what he could do with more time in the pocket going against a unit that’s only getting two sacks through five games. If the Seahawks were able to hang 35 on the Bucs defense, imagine what Christian McCaffrey can do to the Buccaneers linebackers when both Lavonte David and SirVocea Dennis graded below 55 in their PFF pass coverage score last weekend.
PFF scores need to be taken with an Alfred-Collins-sized grain of salt, but the point is, the 49ers offense should be able to keep pace. They’ll need to, because Emeka Egbuka looks unstoppable. Which brings me back to the trade: instead of selling out against Egbuka and praying the other Bucs don’t beat us, the 49ers would have a much easier time if they were able to pressure the Heck out of Baker Mayfield.
It’ll be like this until the trade deadline. After the Buccaneers come the Falcons, the Texans, and the Giants. Those are some stacked defensive units that will be able to take away the middle of the field, forcing Mac Jones to throw outside the numbers. If Mac can’t do that, then our defense had better be able to make some disruptive plays against some EXTREMELY talented offensive players.
If they go 0-4 through the trade deadline, they’ll definitely need to make the move. You can’t rely on Nick Bosa every year, so you might as well start stocking up on talent. If they somehow go 4-0 through the trade deadline, it’ll be even more reason to make the move. You’ll never know when you’ll be back in this position again.
The big trade helps them both win now and develop for later. I need neither a rousing victory nor a dispiriting defeat in Tampa Bay to know this about the 2025 49ers. For the next few weeks, the 49er that I’m counting on the most won’t be on the field. John Lynch will be the one able to take this season to new heights. I hope he makes the call.
