5 workable trades 49ers could make during 2020 offseason

No. 1: 49ers Tag and Trade Defensive End Arik Armstead to the Buccaneers

This isn’t without precedent, and the 49ers already know all about it.

A year ago, the Chiefs placed a franchise tag on Dee Ford, then traded him to San Francisco in exchange for a second-round draft pick in 2020. The Niners subsequently negotiated a five-year, $85 million contract with Ford during the window in which tagged players can negotiate new deals holding their contractual rights.

San Francisco 49ers

It’s time for the 49ers to be on the opposite end of the equation.

The key player in the move is defensive end Arik Armstead, who enjoyed a career year on his fifth-year option and was the only Niners player to record double-digit sacks in 2019. He played out his contract year perfectly.

And while the Niners ideally would like to retain Armstead, the cap considerations could easily hinder them from doing so.

The franchise tag on defensive ends is going to cost somewhere in the range of $17 million for this upcoming season, fully guaranteed. That alone might be a barrier to trade unless it’s done in the negotiating window, yet Armstead is likely to command a pretty hefty deal anyway. So what’s needed is a team hurting for defensive players and pass-rushers, and that team better have a good deal of cap space.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fit the bill, as their walloping $79,894,844 in space — fourth most, currently — suggests.

Tampa Bay had 47 sacks last year, tied for seventh most in the league. But 19.5 of those came from EDGE Shaquil Barrett on an insane career year. Prior to 2019, Barrett never had more than 5.5. And the Bucs, who still allowed 449 points — fourth most last season — could afford to get even stronger on defense.

How about getting that second-round pick back for San Francisco?