Niner Noise
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San Francisco 49ers: 5 players who could possibly be moved at the NFL trade deadline

By Peter Panacy

GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 and defensive end Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers react after a defensive stop during the second half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 and defensive end Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers react after a defensive stop during the second half of the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 23: Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after a sack of Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on October 23, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – OCTOBER 23: Arik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after a sack of Jameis Winston #3 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during their NFL game at Levi’s Stadium on October 23, 2016 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

No. 5: EDGE Arik Armstead

With DeForest Buckner ranking tops among all interior defenders through four weeks, per Pro Football Focus, the Niners would be silly to fathom moving him unless the return package was, well, astronomical.

But fellow defensive lineman Arik Armstead is a bit of a different story.

Armstead was drafted to fit in a 3-4 base scheme back in 2015, and the Niners have attempted to transition him to a 4-3 EDGE in an attempt to put his notable pass-rush productivity to use:

Armstead has one sack through four games, so those totals aren’t jumping off the paper. But his 2017 pass-rush productivity thus far is 8.7 — 36th out of 63 EDGE qualifiers, per PFF.

It’s possible Armstead is still adjusting to his new role, and we can’t ignore the physical traits he offers. But would the Niners make the move?

Why a Trade Makes Sense

The 49ers have a pretty deep stockpile of D-line players, so one could figure John Lynch might move some excess pieces to acquire much-needed talent elsewhere and/or future draft picks.

Armstead still has one more year left on his rookie deal after this season, so that could also be enticing for a team looking to bolster a 3-4 front while not having to dish out a lot of cash against the cap.

Why It Doesn’t

San Francisco does have a deep D-line, but there aren’t exactly a plethora of proven pass-rushers. Perhaps the most qualified is veteran EDGE Elvis Dumervil, although he’s 33 years old and best used situationally at this point.

And with fellow edge rusher Aaron Lynch’s inconsistencies, it might be in the Niners’ best interests to see if Armstead can continue adjusting to the defense’s new scheme.

Speaking of Lynch…