The 49ers would love to stockpile more picks and trade down in the NFL Draft, but they're not the only team in the mix.
If nothing changes between now and Thursday, April 24, the San Francisco 49ers will be selecting at No. 11 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Of course, plenty could change between now and then.
General manager John Lynch hasn't shied away from first-round draft-day trades, the latest major example being the 2021 move-up for quarterback Trey Lance (that didn't end up well). The year prior, the Niners traded back after acquiring another first-round pick in the deal that shipped defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts, then trading down from that pick to grab defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (that didn't end up well either).
With a slew of needs in the 2025 draft, and the class itself viewed as weakish but deep, it makes sense for Lynch to explore yet another trade-down, even if the ability to do so isn't exactly there.
That said, plenty of other teams appear to be thinking the same way.
Adam Schefter: 49ers are among teams interested in 'moving back' from 1st-round pick
The Monday before the draft, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on a number of teams looking not to move up into the top 10, rather a slew of teams that were interested in trading down, including San Francisco.
"On the other side of things, the Steelers (No. 21) are among the teams interested in moving back from their first-round slot," Schefter described. "That list also includes the Jaguars (5), Panthers (8), 49ers (11), Falcons (15), Seahawks (18), Buccaneers (19), and Vikings (24), who currently have four picks, the fewest any team."
The Niners may have a lot of picks, but they're also burdened with plenty of needs, particularly after a rough offseason that saw multiple standouts like wide receiver Deebo Samuel, linebacker Dre Greenlaw and safety Talanoa Hufanga depart.
So, it makes plenty of sense for San Francisco wanting to trade down.
But, it'll be tougher to find a willing partner with other teams thinking the same way, and the 49ers may just have to stay put.
Hat tip to David Bonilla of 49ers Webzone for the find.