San Francisco 49ers: Predicting 5 surprises for 53-man roster
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers trade a well-known wide receiver, Dante Pettis
On the surface, it might seem a bit too premature for the Niners to trade their Round 2 draft pick from two seasons ago, Dante Pettis. Especially considering the injuries to Deebo Samuel and Richie James.
That said, it’s extremely tough for players to reemerge from Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse. In 2018, offensive guard Joshua Garnett was shown the door. And during the offseason, running back Matt Breida was traded off to the Miami Dolphins after falling from grace late in the regular season.
Pettis’ own dramatic fall needs little introduction. Even if he makes the cut, he’ll likely be no higher than fourth in the wide receiver pecking order behind Samuel, Kendrick Bourne and the rookie, Brandon Aiyuk.
Yet Pettis still has some value to his name and could benefit from a change in scenery. One proposal from our FanSided sister site, The Viking Age, suggested a would-be trade between the 49ers and Minnesota Vikings, which would bolster a relatively inexperienced Vikings wide receiver corps while freeing up some of the logjam the Niners have at the position.
It’s anyone’s guess what San Francisco could get in return. But it would stress the need for players to stay out of Shanahan’s doghouse.