The 49ers are back from their bye week and back to business Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders, with Week 9 carrying a little more weight than a normal regular-season game. San Francisco enters with some injury issues still hanging around - Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel are both likely out - but the team should get Nick Bosa and Demarcus Robinson back.
That matters on its own. It matters even more with Tuesday’s trade deadline right around the corner.
San Francisco looks like a team in buy mode, and the Raiders’ side of the equation could shift fast depending on what happens Sunday. Las Vegas is 4-4 after a hot start, and if that record slips to 4-5, the front office may be pushed toward selling. That’s where Maxx Crosby comes back into the picture.
Crosby has been the name hovering over this matchup for a while. Trade rumors followed him all offseason, and at one point he was even believed to be headed to Baltimore before a failed physical kept him in Las Vegas. According to Sam Warren of The Athletic, Crosby wants to stay with the Raiders, which makes any deal difficult from the jump.
Still, the fit is obvious from San Francisco’s perspective. The 49ers need help off the edge, especially with Bosa dealing with injuries for much of the season and his health still very much in question. Adding another pass rusher would make sense, even with the team already having reunited with DeForest Buckner.
If the 49ers want to make Crosby more attainable, the path may be as simple as overwhelming the Raiders on Sunday. A lopsided loss could make Las Vegas more willing to listen, especially if it falls to 4-5 heading into the deadline.
The price would be steep. The Ravens were prepared to give up two first-round picks for Crosby, but San Francisco might have a little room to work if the uncertainty around his knee and his quieter production this year - three sacks in eight games - gives the Raiders pause.
Crosby has been a long-running target for the 49ers, and landing him would send a jolt through the league. It’s still a long shot. But if San Francisco beats up on Las Vegas this weekend, the dream gets a little more realistic.
In Other News...
49ers Could Still Make One Deadline Swing Fans Never Saw Coming
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Among the names being floated are defensive back Marlon Humphrey, running back Jonathan Taylor, wideout Adonai Mitchell, receiver Devaughn Vele and edge rusher Chase Young. The mix says plenty about how wide the 49ers options could be, and Young adds an especially interesting layer because of his past with the team, but for now it remains a speculative list rather than a sign that any move is close. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Fans Are About To See Whats Left Of An Old Rivalry
A familiar old Bay Area matchup is back on the schedule, and this one carries a different feel than it once did. The Raiders are returning to Levi's Stadium to face the 49ers in a regular-season game in the region for the first time since 2019, a reminder of how much has changed since the days when the rivalry had a bigger local footprint and a louder split down the middle of Northern California.
The move to Las Vegas has reshaped more than the franchise's address. The Raiders have continued to grow financially even as the on-field results have lagged, and longtime supporters are left weighing the teams direction under the current coaching staff against a fan base that no longer looks quite as it did before. For 49ers fans, it is a chance to see what remains of an old cross-bay rivalry, even if the energy around it is not what it used to be. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Could Get A Huge Lineup Boost Sooner Than Expected
The 49ers finally have some encouraging injury news after weeks of juggling a battered lineup. Nick Bosa is back on the practice field in a limited capacity after missing the past five games with a calf injury, and his return alone changes the tone of a defense that has had to keep moving without one of its most disruptive pieces. Jauan Jennings has also opened his 21-day practice window, giving San Francisco another path toward getting a useful offensive weapon back in the mix.
There is still some sorting out to do before the 49ers know exactly how much help they will get and when. Safety Talanoa Hufanga and receiver Brandon Aiyuk have also returned to limited practice, which gives the team multiple reinforcements to evaluate as it heads into Week 10 and beyond. For a roster that has spent much of the season managing absences, even the possibility of getting several key players back in the span of a week or two is a meaningful shift. [Read more 🡒]