The San Francisco 49ers are projected to be one of the best teams in the NFL in 2024, and the expectation is that Kyle Shanahan’s squad will be among the contenders to hoist this year’s Vince Lombardi Trophy.
However, that’s not to say that the 49ers can’t improve. In fact, they should look at addition by subtraction and trade away in-demand players that may not be needed in the locker room. Let’s take a look at three potential San Francisco trade options entering 2024 training camp.
Brandon Aiyuk has been on the trade block all offseason
Aiyuk is one of the biggest names available on the trade market, and smoke has been billowing for months around potential deals to send the disgruntled receiver out of San Francisco. Ever since Aiyuk and the 49ers’ front office reached an impasse in contract negotiations, it has appeared to be more of a matter of when and where the wide receiver would be dealt rather than if he would be traded at all.
The star wideout would be a welcome fit on almost any team, and he has the potential to elevate any receiving corps in the league. It was rumored that the 49ers had reached a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers to send Aiyuk to the Steel City during the 2024 NFL Draft. Whatever the reasons may be, that rumored deal fell through at the last second and Aiyuk would still be on the 49ers' roster if the season were to begin.
Discontent can spread like wildfire and destroy a locker room. Which is why the 49ers are better off coming to an understanding with their star, rebuilding the relationship and keeping Aiyuk around for the long term or dealing him prior to training camp. The worst thing would be for the Niners to do nothing and just go into the season with question marks.
The question that remains to be answered is what Aiyuk will command on the trade market and how committed the 49ers are to sticking with their demands. There's little doubt that if they eased up on their price to deal the star, a deal could be made within the next 48 hours. However, Aiyuk is a prized asset and it’s understandable that the 49ers want to obtain maximum value in any deal involving their star.
49ers must consider moving one of their running backs
The 49ers have a surplus of running backs, and they will likely need to trade at least one of them in order to round out their roster. Elijah Mitchell is the most likely candidate to be traded as he features the best balance of being a proven player who will command a reasonable return while also not being essential to the team's future success.
Thanks to the addition of Christian McCaffrey, Mitchell has been relegated to a secondary role, but he’s capable of being so much more than that. Additionally, McCaffrey is an all-around player who can dominate in the run game and the passing game, while also being a capable blocker. This reduces the value of second-string backs for the 49ers offense.
When Mitchell’s contract is up, he may value himself much higher than the 49ers. In addition to creating discontent in the locker room similar to the situation with Aiyuk, this could also lead to the Niners losing a capable player for no return.
The team would be better off preemptively addressing this situation and avoiding it altogether by having an honest conversation with Mitchell. Then, both parties can decide how to proceed, culminating in a potential trade if the team, the player and his agent all decide that is the best course of action.
It would also have a secondary benefit of showing others around the league that San Francisco values its players and does right by them. This may seem like a small thing, but it could be the difference between the 49ers landing a future free agent or missing out.
Deebo Samuel could be moved instead of Aiyuk
Another player who the 49ers could consider dealing would be star receiver Deebo Samuel. It’s likely they will deal Aiyuk first given that there is already discontent in the relationship between Aiyuk and the team, and that Samuel provides a level of versatility that Aiyuk doesn’t.
However, the possibility can’t be discounted of the team deciding to build around Aiyuk, in which case they would likely trade Samuel. Aiyuk may have more talent as a pure receiver, but Samuel is an elite blocker and motion receiver who can take handoffs and create a big run.
He particularly excels on jet sweeps, which can drive a defensive coordinator crazy and put immense stress on defensive integrity. If the team finds a way to mend fences with Aiyuk, this could become a possibility. As of right now, though, it's more likely that Deebo will stay put while Aiyuk is sent elsewhere.
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