The San Francisco 49ers opted to trade down and out of the 2026 NFL Draft's first round, leaving general manager John Lynch's post-round presser as a mere description of the trade-down efforts.
And there was also room for Lynch to discuss moves made by the Niners' other NFC West rivals.
Of course, the Los Angeles Rams' rather shocking decision to select Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at No. 13 overall prompted a question, and Lynch's initial reaction seemed to indicate he didn't feel truly threatened by L.A.'s pick.
Lynch did, however, acknowledge the Arizona Cardinals' selection of running back Jeremiyah Love at No. 3 overall:
Well, first of all, I think another team in our division, they got a player who is going to have an impact, and I am talking about Jeremiyah Love, a fantastic player. Ty Simpson is a good football player.
Despite the Cards needing a whole array of upgrades across the board, Simpson is truly a blue-chip talent and potential franchise cornerstone.
And Arizona's top pick in Round 2 further pointed San Francisco's NFC West rivals in the right direction.
Cardinals continue to threaten 49ers with Chase Bisontis draft pickup
The 49ers had the chance to deny the Cardinals a prospect, given the Niners' trade-down to No. 33 overall, and Arizona holding the very next selection. After the Niners grabbed wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling, though, it seemed as if the Cardinals couldn't run to the podium fast enough.
So, at No. 34 overall, the Cards opted to reinforce their offensive line by taking left guard Chase Bisontis out of Texas A&M, putting even more of an emphasis on the rebuild under first-year head coach Mike LaFleur.
Bisontis is a building-block piece, and while his presence alone won't fully move Arizona's needle, at least in terms of the NFC West's current pecking order, the combination of the rookie lineman and Love are at least making the Cardinals look more and more like a legitimate opponent within the division.
Considering just how stacked the NFC West is now, the last thing San Francisco wants is another top contender in the fold.
It might be a while, but Arizona is at least trending in that right direction with its first two picks.
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