5 sneaky trades 49ers could pull off in 2023 NFL Draft

The 49ers have 11 picks in the 2023 NFL Draft but none in the first two rounds. Would John Lynch fathom pulling off some quick-hitting draft-day trade?

A year ago at this time, San Francisco 49ers fans were nervously awaiting whether or not the Niners would pull off some sort of blockbuster that would send All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel to some other team in the wake of his contract dispute and subsequent trade request.

Knowing San Francisco would at least want a first-round pick in exchange, going through Round 1 of the 2022 NFL Draft created some awfully tenuous moments.

Until the round passed and Samuel remained in the red and gold.

Heading into the 2023 draft, general manager John Lynch isn’t exactly faced with some pressing demand to be traded. However, with 11 total picks but none of them in Rounds 1 and 2, it’s possible Lynch elects to pull off a draft-day trade this go-around, perhaps to land a first- or a second-round pick in exchange for some of that excess toward the end of the draft itself.

Or, just as possible, Lynch moves a player or two during the draft.

Here are five trades Lynch and the 49ers may be enticed to pull off at some point between now and during the 2023 NFL Draft.

49ers NFL Draft trade No. 1: Get into Round 1 via Bengals

A little tip to the folks over at Pro Football Network who came up with this one, but it had some merit.

On a recent mock draft, PFN suggested the Niners move their three compensatory picks in the third round of the draft, as well as a 2024 Round 1 selection, to the Cincinnati Bengals in order to draft Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright just ahead of the 31st-drafting Kansas City Chiefs, who just so happen to need a new tackle, too.

San Francisco needs a plug-and-play tackle to replace now-Denver Broncos right tackle Mike McGlinchey, so an aggressive move like this one could play out sneakily well.