SF 49ers should trade Dante Pettis to NY Jets after Week 2

The SF 49ers just beat the NY Jets in Week 2, and it would benefit both teams if Dante Pettis was traded by the Niners to New York.

Talking about potential SF 49ers trade scenarios after a large portion of their roster was knocked out with injuries during the team’s 31-13 road win over the New York Jets in Week 2 seems a bit silly.

But despite the numerous injuries, suffered by both the Niners and Jets, it makes more than enough sense for San Francisco’s general manager, John Lynch, to call up the Jets front office and offer them third-year wide receiver Dante Pettis.

Despite some positive reports in training camp, suggesting Pettis had emerged from head coach Kyle Shanahan’s proverbial “doghouse,” the one which kept the 2018 second-round pick inactive during Super Bowl LIV, Pettis has seemingly disappeared once more from Shanahan’s game plan.

After just one target during the SF 49ers’ Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, an overthrow from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Pettis saw zero targets in New York and only touched the ball late on special teams when the Niners had a comfortable lead.

Simply put, Pettis is no longer a viable option for Shanahan going forward.

This point was highlighted by San Francisco inking free-agent wide receiver Mohamed Sanu in advance of Week 2. True, Sanu didn’t receive any targets either. But his prior success in Shanahan’s offense, back when both were with the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, points to Sanu having a much more important role for the SF 49ers moving forward.

Pettis, meanwhile, has reverted back to being an afterthought.

Yes, the Niners are hurting for offensive players. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel (foot) is still out with an injury and won’t be back until Week 4 at the soonest. Tight end George Kittle (knee) missed Week 2 with an injury, and it’s looking as if running back Raheem Mostert and Tevin Coleman could both miss this upcoming Sunday’s game against the New York Giants with knee injuries, too.

Still, none of those players’ respective absences seem indicative of Pettis getting some extra looks.

It’s time San Francisco explores trading him. And the Jets make for a good partner here.

SF 49ers should move Dante Pettis to the NY Jets

It might seem unfair for Pettis, going from a Super Bowl contender to a team mired in the doldrums of head coach Adam Gase. But there’s plenty of sense in San Francisco trying to trade Pettis to a team like the Jets.

From the 49ers’ perspective, and that of Pettis as well, it would be a fresh start for both sides. Pettis could get a chance to resurrect his career where he might actually be needed, not as an afterthought and someone taking a spot deep on the Niners depth chart.

New York, meanwhile, is already without wide receivers Jamison Crowder (hamstring) and Denzel Mims (hamstring), and it also lost depth wideouts Breshad Perriman and Chris Hogan to temporary injuries last Sunday, too. Even if all four players are going to be available to Gase and quarterback Sam Darnold in coming weeks, it’s not exactly a depth chart inspiring a lot of confidence.

Three years into his career, Pettis still has a lot of upside. And it would be possible for the 49ers to squeeze something, anything out of his dwindling value right now in an attempt to help the Jets rebuild.

And it isn’t as if San Francisco will face the Jets anytime soon in a context where a traded Pettis could come back to haunt it.

No, Pettis wouldn’t command much of anything in return, perhaps no more than a sixth- or seventh-round pick amid an upcoming offseason where the quality of NCAA prospects eligible for the draft would be in question amid the global pandemic.

Still, it would clear a bit of a logjam for the Niners, and it would help alleviate some of the concerns the Jets have at wide receiver, too.