The 49ers don’t necessarily need to sell at the 2022 NFL trade deadline, but another loss could convince John Lynch to move these three players.
The last time we suggested some players the San Francisco 49ers could potentially trade away before the 2022 NFL trade deadline, we weren’t quite sure if they’d be buyers or sellers.
In the wake of the Niners’ blockbuster acquisition of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey from the Carolina Panthers, however, it appears as if general manager John Lynch is putting San Francisco into the “buyers” category.
However, McCaffrey is a long-term addition, given he’s under contract through 2025. Yet the 49ers gave up plenty of NFL Draft capital to get him, following their 2021 move to trade up for quarterback Trey Lance.
So, even if the Niners made moves for high-profile players, it wouldn’t hurt to restock the coffers with more draft picks, even if they’re of the mid- or late-round variety.
Even though San Francisco might not get much of anything from these players, moving them via trade would at least net something.
49ers NFL trade deadline move No. 1: RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
McCaffrey arriving into the fray immediately makes the 49ers’ previous interim starter, Jeff Wilson Jr., somewhat expendable.
And then even more expendable by the time fellow running back Elijah Mitchell returns from an MCL sprain suffered in Week 1.
To maximize the McCaffrey addition, the Niners will want to ensure he sees plenty of snaps, and there’ll only be so much room for him, Mitchell and Wilson on the depth chart, particularly if San Francisco retains its rather provocative commitment to fellow rusher Tevin Coleman.
Wilson does have value, even though teams typically don’t trade for running backs (hey now, 49ers). An underrated pass-catcher and someone who can play physical in a power scheme but has the speed to get outside, Lynch should dangle Wilson to see if there’d be any takers.
49ers NFL trade deadline move No. 2: DB Tarvarius Moore
It’s safe to say the Niners’ attempts to get something out of their 2018 third-round NFL Draft choice, defensive back Tarvarius Moore, have come up notably short.
Granted, Moore did have success back in 2019 as a big-nickel safety, but he never quite cut it as a boundary cornerback, and his role as a starting safety has been a mixed bag, at best.
Now, especially with veteran starting safety Jimmie Ward returning from both hamstring and hand injuries, there’s even less reason to keep Moore around, particularly in the wake of San Francisco receiving some excellent production from the two other defensive backs at the position, Talanoa Hufanga and Tashaun Gipson, the latter a free-agent scrap-heap pickup when Ward was forced to start the regular season on injured reserve.
Read More: What picks 49ers have after blockbuster Christian McCaffrey trade
And with the 49ers not parting ways with special teams ace George Odum, Moore seems a bit like a redundancy.
Again, he’s not a player that’d command much of anything by the way of competition.
However, teams do look at versatile pieces in the secondary, and perhaps the Niners can pitch that alongside Moore’s speed.
49ers NFL trade deadline move No. 3: TE Ross Dwelley
Alright, copying the same idea we had before the Christian McCaffrey news broke, as it doesn’t seem San Francisco would have much of a need for its one-time No. 2 tight end, Ross Dwelley, who quite admirably backed up George Kittle in 2019 and 2020 but has since fallen out of favor to the new second-string tight end, Charlie Woerner.
Granted, the 49ers’ Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs resulted in fullback Kyle Juszczyk suffering a broken finger, and signs are pointing to him missing the Niners’ Week 8 road matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
A perfect opportunity for San Francisco to showcase Dwelley in Juszczyk’s stead, right?
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Again, Dwelley isn’t going to command much of anything by the way of NFL Draft capital, and like Tarvarius Moore, he’s also poised to hit free agency once the season is through. Teams typically don’t dish off draft assets for “rental” players unless there’s a clear need.
However, that shouldn’t stop John Lynch from exploring what the 49ers could potentially get out of a player like Dwelley.
The 2022 NFL trade deadline is on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. ET.