As the dust settles from the NFL trade deadline, the 49ers’ real shopping list is coming into focus - and it wasn’t the one most people expected.
San Francisco was tied to edge rushers and ultimately landed a wide receiver, but the clearest thread in the reporting points somewhere else: the team was hunting for a pass-catching tight end. That’s the lane they seemed to value most when the deadline clock was ticking.
Earlier in the week, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that the 49ers had interest in Denver Broncos tight end Evan Engram. Denver, still in contention, had no interest in moving him.
Then Adam Schefter of ESPN added another name to the mix: Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert. According to Schefter, San Francisco made the call, but Philadelphia barely entertained the idea.
“While the Eagles traded stars in Davis and center Cam Jurgens in the flurry leading up to the deadline, they held off trading another player who was wanted -- Dallas Goedert,” wrote Schefter. “Sources said several teams inquired about the pass-catching tight end, including the 49ers.
But Goedert, 31, never got close to being traded. He remains in Philadelphia and could even re-sign with the Eagles for 2027.”
The idea that San Francisco might have circled back to a receiver after landing Engram or Goedert is possible, but the reporting suggests the tight end was the priority, not the wideout.
That tracks to a point. The 49ers are dealing with injuries at receiver, but the group still has bodies coming back.
Deebo Samuel will play this week, Mike Evans should return soon, and De’Zhaun Stribling could be back by the end of the season. Add in Demarcus Robinson being healthy and Jordan Watkins taking a step, and the receiver room still has options.
Tight end is a different story. Jake Tonges has been out since Week 1 and won’t return this year. Luke Farrell has taken on more of the load in his absence, but his value is tied to blocking, not the passing game.
That’s why a receiving tight end would have mattered so much. Pairing one with Farrell would have given the 49ers a different kind of balance and allowed George Kittle to be used more flexibly instead of asking him to shoulder so much of the receiving work at tight end while also sacrificing some of his blocking impact.
A receiver would have helped. But Goedert or Engram had the chance to lift the offense even higher. San Francisco just couldn’t get it done.
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