The San Francisco 49ers popped up several times on ESPN’s trade deadline rumblings, and not just for one position.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler listed San Francisco as a fit for three receivers and an edge rusher. This comes despite the 49ers sending a 2027 fourth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.
Receiver is likely the team's biggest need considering the bevy of injuries to that position. While Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel and Demarcus Robinson are expected to return soon (perhaps as early as Week 9 after the bye), it would behoove general manager John Lynch to look at some outside options to mitigate any future depth issues through the rest of the season.
The most natural match is Vikings WR Jauan
Jennings, whom ESPN gives a 50% chance of being moved and whom other insiders predict will be sent back to the 49ers. Jennings had 55 catches for 643 yards and nine touchdowns in San Francisco last season, but this year he has just four catches on eight targets in Minnesota. He’s on a one-year, $13 million deal.
Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. is No. 2 on the list, with a 45% chance of moving. Fowler wrote that execs are sensing the end in Jacksonville as his targets and playing time have dipped, and the Chiefs and Steelers are also looking at receivers. Thomas is 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds. He had 87 catches and 10 touchdowns as a rookie in 2024 but has just nine catches for 105 yards and a score this season. A change of scenery could be good for him.
Chargers WR Quentin Johnston is another name with 25% chance of being traded, per Fowler, given the Chargers’ 0-6 start. Bowen likes him as a No. 3 receiver at 6-foot-3 and 208 pounds. Johnston has 18 career touchdowns and topped 700 receiving yards in both 2024 and 2025, but he has only eight catches this year and 11 career drops.
All three are solid options, but would come with varying costs. Jennings might be cheap, but Thomas is a young former first-round pick with promise and Johnston is a big-bodied speedster who could give any new team a dynamic threat on the outside. Would the 49ers want to pay up for a receiver after just adding a defensive tackle for a fourth?
The other option is to continue to reinforce the defense with someone like Cardinals rusher Josh Sweat, who ESPN gives a 40% probability of being traded. He had 12 sacks and 37 pressures last season but has two sacks and 10 pressures in 2026. He’s in the second year of a four-year, $76 million deal, and Fowler wrote that contract rumblings could complicate a trade. The biggest obstacle here is that Sweat plays in the same division as the 49ers, so it's highly unlikely the Cardinals would want to help a rival unless the price was sweet enough.
All in all, the 49ers are clearly buyers at the trade deadline. But whether that means they'll bring in another big name or look for cheaper alternatives remains to be seen.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: NFL trade deadline: 49ers connected to more big moves
