The 49ers came out of Sunday with a win over the Miami Dolphins, but the injury report may have left a bigger mark than the scoreline. Demarcus Robinson drew the most attention, yet the loss of rookie defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. could end up being the more important blow.
That’s why San Francisco ought to be dialing up the winless Indianapolis Colts about DeForest Buckner.
The need is obvious. The 49ers are already stretched thin up front after defensive tackle Alfred Collins was lost for the season with a patellar tendon tear in practice in Australia.
Edge rusher Sam Okuayinonu has missed the first two weeks and could be out for a good chunk of time. Rookie Romello Height also broke his hand on Sunday and will need surgery, though there is still a chance he does not miss any time.
There is at least some help possibly on the way. Mykel Williams is reportedly moving in the right direction, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said the team has spoken to veteran Leonard Floyd, which could mean more depth at edge rusher soon.
Even so, the interior remains the biggest concern. Osa Odighizuwa and rookie Gracen Halton are a workable pair, but the Dolphins were able to run the ball with ease in the first half Sunday. If the 49ers want a real answer against the run, Buckner makes too much sense to ignore.
San Francisco knows exactly what Buckner brings. The team dealt him to the Colts in 2020, choosing not to pay him and instead handing Arik Armstead a major contract. Buckner has kept producing anyway, and despite injuries slowing him a bit in recent seasons, the 32-year-old already has 1.5 sacks this year and still looks like himself.
The timing adds another layer. The Colts are 0-2, while the 49ers are 2-0.
If those records hold, Indianapolis could be in a position to move players before the trade deadline. That is why John Lynch should already be making calls to see what it would take.
If Buckner could be had for a mid-level draft pick or two, the 49ers should not overthink it. Lynch held back during the offseason instead of making a major swing for a player like Maxx Crosby, waiting to see whether this roster was truly ready to go all-in.
Two games in, the signs are encouraging. The offense is rolling, and the defense looks much better with Nick Bosa and Fred Warner healthy.
In Other News...
49ers WR Injuries Could Force A Trade For Former First Rounder
Early-season injuries have already thinned out the 49ers receiver room, and that kind of problem tends to get attention fast in Santa Clara. When the depth chart starts wobbling at wideout, the conversation usually turns from short-term patch jobs to bigger swings, especially for a team that expects to stay in the playoff hunt and cant afford to let a promising start get bogged down by attrition.
One name now floating into that discussion is Jerry Jeudy, with Bleacher Reports Moe Moton pointing to the Browns as a possible trade partner. Clevelands new coaching staff is leaning into younger players, and Jeudys role and production have both faded enough to make a deal conceivable if the price is right. For San Francisco, it is the sort of move that makes sense on paper, even if the real question is whether the 49ers feel pressure to act before the market gets thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Brock Purdy Led A 49ers Rout But The Grades Get More Interesting
Brock Purdys sharp afternoon in the 49ers 35-13 win over the Dolphins carried over into the numbers game, too. Pro Football Focus handed him the highest overall offensive grade in the NFL for Week 2 after he completed 20 of 22 passes for 287 yards, threw two touchdowns and added a rushing score, all while San Franciscos line kept him clean and did not allow a sack.
The grading also painted a fuller picture of how the offense functioned around him, with George Kittle standing out in the receiving evaluation and Kyle Juszczyk earning his usual value in the mix. Not every name landed as high, though, and the split in the grades makes the review of this rout a little more interesting for a 49ers team that looked dominant on the scoreboard but still gave PFF plenty to sort through. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Fan Captured The NFL Streaming Frustration Everyone Feels
At Levis Stadium during the 49ers home opener, one fan managed to turn a handmade sign into a small but sharp snapshot of a bigger problem around the NFLs modern viewing experience. The message spoke to what has become an increasingly familiar annoyance for fans trying to follow games online, where access is split across multiple platforms instead of sitting in one place.
Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, Paramount+ and Netflix have all become part of the leagues fragmented streaming landscape, and each one comes with its own subscription hurdle. The sign struck a chord because it reflected a frustration many viewers know well, the sense that watching football digitally now requires more juggling, more spending and a lot more patience than it used to. [Read more 🡒]