San Francisco’s bye week has done little to quiet the noise around the 49ers and the trade deadline. Fans want another move, rivals keep loading up, and general manager John Lynch has already shown he’s willing to act after landing defensive tackle DeForest Buckner early.
The obvious names are still out there - Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson and Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack - but both feel like long shots. So if Lynch wants to get creative, there are other paths, and some of them are hiding on teams at the bottom of the standings.
One of the most intriguing possibilities is Baltimore cornerback Marlon Humphrey. The Ravens are coming off a rough 33-10 loss to Jacksonville on Thursday, and at 4-5 they’re last in the AFC North after entering the year as preseason favorites.
That kind of slide can force a team to rethink its roster, and Humphrey stands out as a player who might not fit their future plans. The 30-year-old two-time first-team all-pro would give the 49ers needed help in the secondary, especially with that group having been exposed at times when it hasn’t been fully healthy.
He’s also in the middle of the worst statistical season of his career, though a fresh start could be enough to get him back to the ballhawking form that produced four interceptions last season. This year, he still hasn’t picked one off.
Another name that could shake up San Francisco’s offense is Jonathan Taylor. He’s one of the biggest players likely to come up in deadline chatter, even if he’s not often linked to the 49ers.
Taylor would bring the kind of burst this offense has been missing, and a backfield split could help Christian McCaffrey preserve his legs while shifting him into more of a route-running role, almost like a Wes Welker-type piece. Taylor has been the bright spot on a struggling Colts team, piling up 610 rushing yards and eight touchdowns while adding 202 receiving yards.
Those numbers would change the shape of the 49ers’ attack in a hurry, and he could be a cheaper swing than a deal for Wilson.
If Lynch wants to target a receiver instead, Adonai Mitchell makes for a more realistic gamble than chasing Jets No. 1 wideout Garrett Wilson. Mitchell just posted seven catches for 142 yards against the Raiders last Sunday and led the Jets in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in that game. At six-foot-two, he gives Brock Purdy the kind of frame San Francisco could use in its receiver room, and the Jets should at least listen if the price is right.
New Orleans could also become a source of help, even if the Saints aren’t in a hurry to start selling. Their 2-5 start has them looking more toward 2027 than the present, and wide receiver Devaughn Vele fits the profile of a player a contender might check on. He’s a six-foot-five target on a losing team, and that alone makes him worth a call for the 49ers.
Then there’s Chase Young, who would bring a familiar face back to San Francisco. The Saints defensive end, whom the 49ers traded for in 2023, has seven sacks in seven games this season.
That kind of production would fill a need for a 49ers pass rush that has been missing more punch than it should. A reunion with his good friend Nick Bosa would give San Francisco’s defensive line a very different look, and maybe a much more dangerous one, before the deadline passes.
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