Niners Nation
Only one of the eight players is on the offensive side of the ball
With the trade deadline on Tuesday, NFL teams will have to decide whether to buy, sell, or stand pat. Those roles are clearly defined for teams like the 7-2 Washington Commanders or the 2-6 Carolina Panthers.
But for the 4-4 San Francisco 49ers, there’s a case to be made for either of the three. San Francisco could be buyers, with a few spots that could use attention – pass rush, offensive line, and wide receiver, for example – and the .500 start could have the Niners looking for improvements.
The returns of Christian McCaffrey and Dre Greenlaw could be viewed as a “trade” of sorts, with neither star playing this season but expected to return shortly after the trade deadline. There’s a chance John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan will see that as enough, and the 49ers will stand pat.
There’s also a chance that Lynch will look at some expiring contracts and try to move them for future draft picks. Charvarius Ward’s name has been suggested as one of those possibilities.
I don’t believe the 49ers should move any current talent, as the team still has Super Bowl aspirations, and a post about a team standing pat feels boring. The 49ers should buy before Tuesday’s deadline and address some needs to improve the chances of the famed Shanahan second-half bump.
Here are some players that could help with the inevitable November turnaround, starting with some unlikely targets.
Maxx Crosby, DE – Las Vegas Raiders
Raiders owner Mark Davis has said that Vegas isn’t looking to move Crosby, but the Raiders dropped to 2-7 after a Week 9 loss to the Bengals. It’s a trade that could have the same impact on the defense that acquiring McCaffrey in 2022 had on the offense, giving Nick Bosa a true superstar running mate on the 49ers defensive line. However, Crosby’s contract might be a little too much for a team with a quarterback on a rookie deal needing an extension soon.
Hasson Reddick, DE – New York Jets
The next best thing behind Crosby. The Jets acquired Reddick in April – who had demanded a trade from Philadelphia for contract reasons – and then completely ignored his contract demands, leading to the pass-rusher holding out for the season’s first six weeks. The Jets allowed Reddick to seek a trade shortly before the two sides agreed to a reworked contract ending the holdout. New York likely won’t look to sell before Tuesday, but if they do, the 49ers should take a shot at Reddick.
Trey Hendrickson, DE – Cincinnati Bengals
If Crosby or Reddick can’t be had, Hendrickson would fall nicely into the big buy category for the 49ers. Hendrickson, like Reddick, had a contract dispute entering the season but reported to camp in time to play at the start of the season. Hendrickson had four sacks on Sunday against the Raiders to...
