The San Francisco 49ers are squarely in the middle of their championship window. With star players on both sides of the ball, they are much closer to competing for the league's top spot than they are to rebuilding for the future.
A trade for Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby would further that notion, though the possibility of this happening is nothing more than a rumor at this point. But there's one obvious fact about this Niners squad that makes trading for such a star nothing short of essential.
There is something different about most of San Francisco's star players compared with the rest of the league. In the age department, there are a lot more "3s" than 2s. Christian McCaffrey just turned age 30. Newly acquired Mike Evans is 32 years old. George Kittle will turn 33 this season. Trent Williams is inching ever-closer to retirement.
Even on the defensive side of the ball, the Niners' best players are either in their prime or leaving it. Fred Warner is age 29, and Nick Bosa is 28 years old.
In short, a large portion of San Francisco's core players have already seen their best days.
The 49ers are also sitting on a full slew of draft picks over the next three years. The plethora of assets begs the question: Why keep them when the roster makeup is built to win now?
49ers must acquire Maxx Crosby if they are truly all in
If the 49ers are truly committing to a "win now" mentality, then it only seems appropriate for them to use future assets to sell out for a Super Bowl ring. Otherwise, their aging skill players will make them good enough to earn back-end draft picks when the team eventually falls short in the postseason.
If general manager John Lynch is being honest, the Niners are not a championship roster at the moment. They definitely have the pieces, but other teams are younger, deeper, and more talented.
Hypothetically, San Francisco could get into a competitive enough position where it could stand a chance against teams like the Rams and Seahawks. But it would require sacrificing a chunk of the future.
At this point, Lynch either has to aggressively pursue Crosby or find a way to extend a championship window by getting younger. The 49ers are in a precarious position, where the inevitable decline of their aging stars could leave them handicapped with numerous salary liabilities throughout their roster.
Given their roster makeup, a trade for Crosby is the most logical move if the Niners are truly serious about winning a championship. Boasting a pair of pass-rushers in Crosby and Bosa would be a lethal combination that would give opposing quarterbacks nightmares.
If such a move is made, the Niners would place themselves squarely in Super Bowl conversations.
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