Niner Noise
FanSided

5 players the 49ers should explore trading before Week 1

By Peter Panacy

GREEN BAY, WI - OCTOBER 15: C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers participates in warmups prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 15, 2018 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
GREEN BAY, WI - OCTOBER 15: C.J. Beathard #3 of the San Francisco 49ers participates in warmups prior to a game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on October 15, 2018 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers intercepts the pass intended for Kelvin Benjamin #13 of the Carolina Panthers while Dontae Johnson #36 of the San Francisco 49ers was also covering him at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Jaquiski Tartt #29 of the San Francisco 49ers intercepts the pass intended for Kelvin Benjamin #13 of the Carolina Panthers while Dontae Johnson #36 of the San Francisco 49ers was also covering him at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Safety Jaquiski Tartt

Now we’re getting into the portion of these trade suggestions where the 49ers may be forced to take some risks.

Such a move would be to trade off strong safety Jaquiski Tartt. It’s not hard to find reasons why the Niners shouldn’t trade him. He’s improved steadily since his 2015 rookie year, and he also can play both safety spots. And at 27 years old, he’s just hitting the prime of his career.

But Tartt does come with injury concerns, too. With second-year pro Marcell Harris, who showed promise late in 2018, behind him on the depth chart, Tartt could wind up becoming something of an expendable commodity sooner rather than later. It’s all up for speculation.

Considering how poor San Francisco’s secondary was in 2018, however, it wouldn’t hurt to start shaking things up now.

Tartt is under control, contractually, for the next two seasons. In 2020, his dead-money hit is a mere $1.5 million with nearly $5 million in cap savings, should he not work out in 2019. Any team looking to add bulk to its secondary would have him under contract for at least two years, while not having to worry about a massive financial commitment for the second year of his current deal.

The Niners may be able to fetch a mid-round draft pick in return as well, but they certainly won’t be forced to decide between a bad trade or a cut if no likable deal is placed on the table. That’s a good position to be in, making this option worth exploring.