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5 trade candidates the 49ers may move before the regular season

By Peter Panacy

Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) takes the field before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 4, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) takes the field before the game against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; San Francisco 49ers center Daniel Kilgore (67) prepares to snap the ball during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers defeated the 49ers 46-27. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 18, 2016; Charlotte, NC, USA; San Francisco 49ers center Daniel Kilgore (67) prepares to snap the ball during the first half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. The Panthers defeated the 49ers 46-27. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 3: Center Daniel Kilgore

Another one of the 49ers offseason trades involved former Baltimore Ravens center Jeremy Zuttah, picked up by swapping late-round picks in the NFL Draft.

Zuttah, a 2016 Pro Bowler, figures to be the favorite to land the starting center job. This position is of extreme importance to head coach Kyle Shanahan’s outside-zone offense, so it makes sense Shanahan would want his hand-picked guy starting.

It also means the incumbent, Daniel Kilgore, is likely pushed out of his starting job.

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But with a 72.8 overall grade last year, per Pro Football Focus, Kilgore is still a serviceable and effective lineman. And at 29 years old, he has a few more years to go before age becomes a major factor.

Two things would likely prevent a trade from happening. First, Kilgore has an injury history. Since taking over the starting job in 2014, Kilgore has missed a total of 23 games due to a variety of injuries — not exactly his fault.

Teams may be wary of giving up draft capital to land an oft-injured player. But offensive lines suffer a great deal of attrition, and one training-camp or preseason injury could make a club desperate.

Yet the other factor is Kilgore can double as a guard. San Francisco’s tandem of Zane Beadles and Joshua Garnett were among the lowest-ranked linemen, per PFF, last season. And this makes Kilgore a viable option at one of these two spots.

If San Francisco is thinking long term though, moving Kilgore may not be a bad idea. He’s signed only through 2017 anyway.