NFL trade deadline: 5 dream moves 49ers would love to make

The 49ers are likely leading towards being buyers at the 2022 NFL trade deadline, and John Lynch would salivate if he could engineer these five moves.

The San Francisco 49ers currently sit with a 3-3 record six games into the 2022 season, kind of that perfect “no man’s land” between deciding whether or not to be buyers or sellers by the time the NFL trade deadline rolls around.

General manager John Lynch has some time to think about things, of course, as the deadline isn’t official until Tuesday, Nov. 1, and the Niners will play two more games between now and then.

And if San Francisco goes 0-2 in its matchups against the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams in Weeks 7 and 8, respectively, Lynch might turn his attention to the seller’s market instead of trying to acquire talent.

Still, the NFC West is considerably weaker than it was anticipated to be, so one might lean on the 49ers acting as buyers at the NFL trade deadline.

While they’re without a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, thanks to the 2021 move-up for quarterback Trey Lance, Lynch probably wouldn’t hesitate to dip into his coffers if it meant landing one of these top talents at the beginning of November.

Here are five dream trade targets for Lynch and Co.

49ers NFL trade deadline dream target No. 5: EDGE Brian Burns, Panthers

Lynch has long spent assets reinforcing the Niners’ defensive line, capped off most recently by their top pick in the 2022 draft being used on USC EDGE Drake Jackson.

Jackson is showing promise, yes, but he’s not quite the prolific pass-rusher needed to pair with Pro Bowler Nick Bosa on an every-down basis. For a San Francisco squad with nothing short of a Super Bowl in its sights, adding someone else to make the D-line about as formidable as possible would be lovely.

In the wake of the 49ers ending head coach Matt Rhule’s tenure, the Carolina Panthers have began the process of offloading talent, first by moving wide receiver Robbie Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals.

Could Pro Bowl EDGE Brian Burns be next?

On the surface, likely not. Carolina picked up Burns’ fully guaranteed fifth-year option, and he’s easily a talent worth building around. Beyond that, a team interested in trading for Burns would likely have to shovel off at least a first-round pick, and the Niners don’t have one of those until 2024.

Then, taking on Burns’ 2023 contract year at the same time Bosa is due for a massive extension? Probably too expensive.

But, hey, San Francisco can dream, right?