5 insane things the 49ers could do in the 2024 NFL Draft

49ers trade out of Round 1 entirely

OK, so this is the dullest option on the list, and it would certainly annoy me, given it'll probably be about 4 a.m. UK time when the trade's announced.

Still, by this point, I'm used to staying up for the 49ers to disappoint me.

But this actually makes some sense, too, even if it does fly in the face of some points I've made elsewhere in this article.

Perhaps 10 rookies won't make the Niners roster in 2024, but looking ahead to a likely cap-crunched future, with deals for quarterback Brock Purdy and (hopefully) Brandon Aiyuk still to bite, as well as previously signed extensions like that of defensive end Nick Bosa still to have a big cap impact, would it make sense for San Francisco to pick up some picks in future drafts?

The 49ers certainly have to replenish the cupboard in a cost-effective way, and there's not many better ways to do that the the slot-based contracts of the NFL Draft.

Moreover, once you're picking at the back end of the round, is there really much difference between taking the 31st player on your board and, say, the 38th? There'd be associated cap relief, of course. And if you've the option to pick up, for instance, a second- or a third-round pick next year, it might actually turn out to be better value.

Compared to the rest of the list, it's definitely not exciting, but it would certainly be unexpected, especially given the likely draft targets for San Francisco.

What crazy move would you like to see from the 49ers in the draft?

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