The San Francisco 49ers beat the Miami Dolphins easily on Sunday, but they lost another wide receiver in the process. Demarcus Robinson went down with what head coach Kyle Shanahan said was a high ankle sprain and had to leave the game.
While it’s not a season-ending injury, it’s another wide receiver who is hurt for the Niners. Ricky Pearsall is already down for the year, and rookie De’Zhaun Stribling went down with an ankle injury in Week 1, which will keep him out for the majority of the season.
It’s time for the Niners to start thinking about outside options because, after Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel, the options on the depth chart become much less appetizing. Let’s look at three potential trades the Niners can make to bolster the pass-catching room with all these injuries.
Calvin Ridley
When in need, it’s never a bad idea to turn to some old friends. That’s why Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley may not be a bad choice, especially since Robert Saleh is the head coach. Ridley is a veteran who has had some big seasons in his career, including in 2023 and 2024 when he had over 1,000 receiving yards.
Last year he missed most of the year due to injury. He's 31 years old, and the 49ers are not short on aging veterans, but he’s an experienced option who can make an immediate impact. The Titans are in a full rebuild, so they don’t really need a veteran receiver, especially since he’s under contract next season as well.
Terry McLaurin
Adam Peters is still the general manager of the Washington Commanders after many seasons in San Francisco’s front office. Washington is now 0-2 in the season, and if things continue to go south, they may decide to sell.
Veteran Terry McLaurin may be their best trade chip. He is 31, and he has been an incredibly consistent receiver in his career. McLaurin is under contract for several more seasons and could present a multi-year depth piece if the 49ers strike a deal.
Nico Collins
The Houston Texans are 0-2 as well now, and if head coach DeMeco Ryans feels the team can’t compete this season, perhaps he and the front office become open to trading wide receiver Nico Collins for the right price. He wouldn’t come cheap since he’s been a top-tier receiver the last few seasons, but he has a big contract, and the Niners may be in a position to take it on since they’re in a win-now mode.
The Niners haven’t been afraid to make big trades in the past. Back in 2019, they acquired Emmanuel Sanders, so perhaps the Niners need to make a similar move to boost their chances of an extended postseason run this season.
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