49ers must move these 4 players by NFL trade deadline

With the 2022 NFL trade deadline approaching, 49ers general manager John Lynch should go all out to trade away these four players.

It’s possible the 3-3 San Francisco 49ers act as buyers at the 2022 NFL trade deadline. Even if the Niners end up losing one or both of their two remaining games before the Nov. 1 deadline hits, the nature of a weakened NFC West suggests head coach Kyle Shanahan’s squad will still be very much “in the race” despite whatever the record is to kickstart next month.

General manager John Lynch was already a buyer, even with San Francisco lacking a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft because of the 2021 move for quarterback Trey Lance, yet that didn’t stop Lynch from nabbing All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers.

However, there are bargain-basement deals to be made, and it’s also possible Lynch decides to offload some of the excess talent at the deadline, too.

Sure most players the 49ers would look to trade aren’t going to command a flurry of draft picks in return. No multiple first-, second- and third-round picks in exchange to report here.

Still, the Niners once moved depth linebacker Jonas Griffith, who had no chance of making the 53-man roster in 2021, to the Denver Broncos for a day-three pick swap.

Perhaps Lynch has a few more moves like that up his sleeve. And if he does, they should include these four players.

49ers NFL trade deadline candidate No. 1: LB Azeez Al-Shaair

Sticking with the linebacker theme here, it’s a bit tricky with starting backer Azeez Al-Shaair, as he’s dealing with an MCL sprain and would have to clear a physical in order to successfully be traded.

That said, it seems likely San Francisco will entertain moving on from him, especially in the wake of extending fellow linebacker Dre Greenlaw earlier during the preseason.

Currently playing on his restricted free-agent tender, 2023 will mark the first year in which Al-Shaair is truly able to cash in on a lucrative contract, one which the 49ers probably won’t want to pay after committing to Greenlaw.

Along with Fred Warner, sustaining three high-level starting-caliber linebackers isn’t going to be possible forever, and the Niners may look to get at least something in return for Al-Shaair, should he wind up getting healthy in time for the trade deadline.