San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch didn't mince words when he was asked by KNBR 680 whether or not his team would explore making a trade between now and the NFL trade deadline to alleviate the season-ending loss of defensive end Nick Bosa to a torn ACL.
"We're always looking," Lynch said. "Prior to Nick getting hurt, we're always—that's our jobs, is to look at the market and see who might become available."
There are plenty of big names out there who may potentially be made available, such as the Cincinnati Bengals' Trey Hendrickson or the Miami Dolphins' Bradley Chubb. But the cost to acquire either one of those better-known assets might be too high for Lynch and Co. to pull off.
Instead, in addition to relying on the on-roster talent, Lynch may look to more affordable options to simply plug the gap for the rest of the season.
And there's one name worth mentioning whom nobody is mentioning much at all.
49ers can explore Cam Jordan as a Nick Bosa replacement
Well, almost nobody.
Pro Football Network's Josh Weil circled 10 trade candidates after three weeks, and he specifically called out New Orleans Saints veteran defensive end Cameron Jordan as an ideal target for the Bosa-less Niners, saying:
"With the Saints fully committed to this rebuild, and off to a 0-3 start, there is no better fit for a player like Cameron Jordan than mutual love and respect for the commitment the player and team have made to each other.
For Jordan, there are other suitors, but he only came on this list with one team in mind for me, and that is the San Francisco 49ers. Nick Bosa is out for the season with a torn ACL, and to have a veteran like Jordan, who has won a Super Bowl before, come in, not only keeps hopes alive, but can help lead the team with the fire of something to play for as the season closes out, which hasn't been true in a few seasons."
Jordan recently turned 36 years old and is in the very twilight of his career, all of which has been spent in NOLA, so it's not as if San Francisco is investing in it's long-term future. A would-be trade is merely a stopgap option to add some veteran savvy to a group that's primarily young and in need of leadership.
With 1.5 sacks for the winless Saints already, it's not as if Jordan has completely lost any effectiveness whatsoever, even if the days of him threatening double-digit quarterback takedowns have long since evaporated.
Yet the eight-time Pro Bowler might be easy enough to acquire.
Jordan's contract expires in 2026, and his current cap hit is a shade below $10 million, according to Over the Cap, which doesn't account for a prorated amount for already having played three games.
Considering New Orleans' rebuild is likely to extend for at least a couple more seasons before realistic Super Bowl aspirations are met, Jordan isn't likely going to figure into a long-term plan, meaning any return assets NOLA could get for him would be welcomed.
Even if they're merely late-round draft picks, of which the 49ers are expected to have plenty.
For Jordan, he'd go from a team competing for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 draft to a playoff contender with a clear need, and the Niners would be helping solve the loss of Bosa by doing so. The Saints, meanwhile, get return assets to assist with the rebuild, too.
It's a win-win-win that makes total sense