The 49ers can't fully replace Brandon Aiyuk, but a proposed trade for the Panthers' Diontae Johnson could help solve Aiyuk's absence.
Update: According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Panthers are trading Diontae Johnson to the Baltimore Ravens.
The San Francisco 49ers' Week 8 victory over the Dallas Cowboys, combined with a recent history of being a second-half team anyway, steered head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch away from being sellers at the 2024 NFL trade deadline.
At 4-4, the Niners have a lot of ground to make up in the NFC, and the rash of injuries has certainly stung, particularly losing star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to season-ending ACL and MCL tears.
With fellow wide receiver Deebo Samuel banged up, Shanahan has had few other proven options at the position. Sure, first-round rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall has flashed promise since making his NFL debut in Week 7, and fans are eager to see fellow rookie Jacob Cowing take on a more prominent offensive role.
However, getting some additional help at receiver might be atop San Francisco's trade-deadline priority list.
And there's one trade proposal that makes a lot of sense.
49ers should pull the trigger on proposed Diontae Johnson trade
At 1-7, the Carolina Panthers don't need to retain any assets they deem not part of their own arduous rebuild and long-term future.
One such commodity is 28-year-old wide receiver Diontae Johnson, who was listed as a player Carolina could move prior to the deadline, according to The Athletic's Joe Person (h/t Niners Nation).
Person also mentioned the 49ers as a possible trade partner for the receiver's services:
"It feels like it will be a matter of when, not if Morgan moves on from a player he just traded for in March. The Panthers acquired Johnson from Pittsburgh knowing his history as a shifty receiver who could separate from coverage but one who was not afraid to sound off if he felt like he wasn’t getting enough balls thrown his way. The Panthers chose not to extend Johnson before the last year of his deal, so there was always a chance Johnson would be a rental. Johnson has looked at times like he could be a No. 1 receiver worthy of a big contract, namely his two-game stretch with 15 receptions on 27 targets during Andy Dalton’s first two starts. ...
After Johnson was ruled out for the Denver game following a second consecutive week in which he didn’t practice, the feeling around the league is Johnson’s time in Charlotte soon will be coming to a close. The Panthers should be able to land a fifth-round pick for Johnson from a team like Tampa Bay, San Francisco, Washington, or an AFC contender such as Los Angeles or Houston, which saw Stefon Diggs leave with a potentially serious knee injury Sunday."
Johnson, who had a career-best year in 2021 with the Pittsburgh Steelers, accumulating 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns, currently has 357 yards and three touchdowns for the Panthers this season. Given the Niners' need for a proven veteran, Johnson would relish the opportunity to jump to a Super Bowl contender from a bottom-dwelling Carolina squad.
And a fifth-round NFL Draft choice in exchange would be a cheap commodity to send off in return, and San Francisco would simply have to absorb the prorated amount of his $10 million salary remaining for 2024, which it can.
As far as scheme fit, Johnson is a man-coverage beater, much like Aiyuk, while both Samuel and Pearsall are more adept at finding seams against zone coverages.
Now, the Panthers would be wise to create a bidding war between the 49ers and Texans, the latter having lost Diggs to a season-ending ACL tear.
But, if the Niners can somehow use a fifth-rounder to land Johnson between now and the Nov. 5 trade deadline, they absolutely should.