Almost immediately after the San Francisco 49ers announced All-Pro defensive end Nick Bosa would miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL suffered in the Week 3 victory over the Arizona Cardinals, speculation and suggestion pointed toward general manager John Lynch pulling off a much-needed trade.
More than a handful of names have been thrown around, perhaps the most notable being All-Pro defensive end Trey Hendrickson, whose contractual standoff with the Cincinnati Bengals last offseason leads to all kinds of uncertainty about his future.
Yet the Week 3 injury happened at a point far too soon for Lynch (or any other general manager, for that matter) to execute a blockbuster deal. For starters, teams trending toward being sellers at the NFL trade deadline in early November may still be looking to salvage their respective seasons. Opting to become a seller typically won't happen until the week or two prior to the trade deadline.
And, at least for Lynch, the Niners needed to keep winning games.
After five weeks, though, there's an increasing number of signs pointing to the possibility of San Francisco pulling off yet another blockbuster trade prior to November's deadline.
John Lynch drops hint about 49ers' intentions at NFL trade deadline
Speaking with NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco on the 49ers Talk Podcast, the Niners GM clarified how his team would have to continue winning games to justify any sort of blockbuster move to help alleviate the loss of Bosa.
You can check out the interview below:
"You’ve got to earn the right," Lynch said of making substantial trades. "[It's] probably talked about more in baseball: Do you earn the right to motivate people to go acquire people? So that means we’ve got to keep playing good football, so this guy could be the guy who makes a difference."
Of note, the interview was conducted the day prior to the 49ers pulling off a dramatic overtime win on Thursday Night Football in Week 5 over the Los Angeles Rams, improving their record to 4-1 on the season despite not yet having a rushing touchdown or an interception.
And San Francisco did so, boasting a starting lineup comprised mostly of backups and reserves filling in for many an injured starter.
Lynch added they're not afraid to use high-profile draft picks to acquire talent. While the Niners may prefer to use those picks on affordable, cost-controlled prospects after an offseason saw them jettison more expensive talent, prior in-season trades for big names like running back Christian McCaffrey in 2022 also indicate San Francisco is more than willing to take a big swing, too.
Provided the 49ers are winning, of course, which they are. And in doing so, they're in position to "earn the right," as Lynch said.
The 2025 NFL trade deadline is Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Hat tip to SFGate for the find and transcription.