49ers roster: 4 easy trades John Lynch can make before 2021 deadline

1. 49ers Target WR James Washington from Pittsburgh

A year ago, the wide receiver position one one of the only bright spots for San Francisco’s offense. Things have changed.

Brandon Aiyuk, for some odd reason, is in Shanahan’s dog house. He’s maxed out at six targets a game through five weeks and been dished just over 10 percent of the targets. Deebo Samuel is carrying the receiving duties on his back, and he needs someone to light the load.

With Richie James and Jalen Hurd on IR as well, the Niners need a consistent player to join the ranks of their receiver group. Consistency is the name of James Washington’s game. The 2018 second round pick is buried behind JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chase Claypool and Diontae Johnson in the Steelers’ depth chart, but he’s a gem worth digging for.

Washington averages 14.5 yards per catch in his career and has repeatedly stepped up to make big plays in the case of injuries.

https://twitter.com/Steelersdepot/status/1450140987112624128

If Pittsburgh isn’t going to play Washington, San Francisco will. Washington is the the last year of a four-year, $4,501,345 contract. He’s worth a fifth-round pick, and probably more. But that’s all it should take to bring him over to the west coast.

With a quarterbacking situation that’s always up in the air, securing reliable veteran talent at WR is a move the 49ers need to make.