In Light Of Recent Events: 5 San Francisco 49ers Trade Targets
“Uncertainty is the refuge of hope”
In what was shaping up to be a drama-free off-season for Niners Nation, Drew Rosenhaus, agent to breakout San Francisco 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings, fed the news to Adam Schefter that his recently extended client has had a change of heart. Jennings is now demanding either an extension or a trade before camp starts, after what has presumably been an ongoing negotiation over the last couple of months.
As far as in-depth discussion of the matter, I will leave that to @49ersHub and writer Logan Howell (@lhowell_07) in his recently published piece:
Uncertainty has now been forced on the franchise and its fans. However, with a currently unspent $47,900,000 in 2025 salary cap, and projected $40,230,000 free in 2026, there may be warranted hope of landing a big name in trade. Here are five targets the Niners could, and should, explore:
Tyreek Hill (Miami Dolphins)
The 32-year-old Hill’s value is at an all-time low after posting an injury-riddled 81-reception, 1,012-yard, 6-touchdown 2024 season—a season where he was quoted as saying “I’m out” after a tough Jets loss, while also reiterating to the front office his displeasure with their current roster construction and complaining about his longing for a winning culture. He has since walked those comments back, but the proverbial tooth paste is out of the tube.
This dip in production came after his first two years in Miami, during which he averaged 119/1,778/10. The two front offices have a well-established trading relationship—after all, Hill is only in Miami due to the first-rounder given up by San Francisco to move up for Trey Lance in the 2022 draft, in addition to the Mike McDaniel-Kyle Shanahan connection.
Complexities exist that would need to be navigated. The Dolphins are in win-now mode and a healthy Tyreek Hill is still a stud. However they face next season with the prospect of letting him walk for nothing, he has $0 guaranteed in 2026 compared to a cap hit of almost $52 million and only a dead cap of around $15 million should he get cut. They will be forced to extend or end the tumultuous relationship next year either way. Perhaps they would opt instead for a player like Jennings or Aiyuk(plus a mid round pick) who could help QB Tua Tagovailoa for years to come, and contribute far more meaningfully in the run blocking game.
Terry McLaurin (Washington Commanders)
This feels less realistic coming off his fifth consecutive season with at least 1,000 yards, only 29 years old, and posting a line of 82/1,096/13 with new QB Jayden Daniels. However, McLaurin and the Commanders' relationship is rocky as he seeks a new contract, and Brandon Aiyuk has a longstanding connection with Daniels going back to their days at Arizona State University.
It does not appear that either WR is happy where they are at the moment; a change of scenery could be the solution. The Aiyuk injury likely impedes any serious progress here, but a conversation never hurts.
Michael Pittman Jr. (Indianapolis Colts)
At only 27-years old, “Pitty City” has been a paragon of reliability throughout his NFL career, only missing six games since being drafted in 2020 and playing most of last year with a broken back. He is quite affordable relative to the market, entering 2025 with a cap hit of $23 million and only $5 million in dead cap in 2026, the last year of his current extension.
He has averaged a line of 81/895/3.6 over his first several seasons. 2024 second-round pick Adonai Mitchell and advanced analytics darling Josh Downs are rostered behind him along with their selection of Tyler Warren at 15th overall in this year’s draft—it feels like Pittman may be the odd man out in Indianapolis.
Head coach Shane Steichen has shown a proclivity for a sky-high rush rate, and they roster two highly mobile QBs. It seems plausible the Colts would want a mauling blocker like Jennings. They may even be willing to do a 1:1 swap between him and Pittman, who would provide the 49ers with a replacement big-bodied safety blanket, as well as a veteran presence in their young receiver room. Up to this point, he has stood out despite subpar QB play his entire career; and along with Brock Purdy could form an immediate impact duo.
Keenan Allen (Free Agent)
The old man on the list at 33, Allen still has gas left in the tank, coming off his 2024 stat line of 70 catches on 121 targets, generating 744 yards and 7 touchdowns while missing 2 games. All while routinely enduring Caleb Williams sailing the ball over his wide-open head.
The current Allen market value may be at the veteran minimum or close to it, as he remains unsigned in mid-July. Shanahan has always liked having veteran pass catchers bolstering the depth chart. They seem to have indicated a desire to run more 11 personnel this year, and a man-coverage beater in the slot could serve them well if they are to make a serious playoff run.
DJ Moore (Chicago Bears)
Saving the best for last: the 28-year old DJ Moore trade intrigues me most. His 2024 extension was awarded under a different coaching staff and was before the NFL debut of Caleb Williams, with whom he showed very poor chemistry and appeared physically demoralized throughout the season.
It was a heady move by GM Ryan Poles, coming in before the WR market explosion. Over the next two seasons, Moore is set to earn an average of $24.58 million per year, with only an $8 million dead cap hit in 2027—figures that feel extremely manageable for the 49ers.
All is not well in Chicago with their star WR either. New head coach Ben Johnson’s first two moves were to take tight end Colston Loveland and Amon-Ra St. Brown lookalike Luther Burden III at picks 10 and 39 of the 2025 draft. He then threw out what some interpreted as a shot at Moore when he said he would be “focused on giving opportunities to players who show effort when they are not getting the ball,” going as far as to say directly of Moore’s poor body language on film, “Just don’t do it.”
There appears to be blood in the water of the relationship between the star and the franchise. Factoring in as well, the Ben Johnson brand of relentless rushing and physicality, and they could derive substantive benefit from run-blocking wideouts like Aiyuk or Jennings.
I am not deterred whatsoever by a player who has been exemplary throughout his entire NFL career getting fed up with the clown show that was the Matt Eberflus Bears. The alpha receiver has performed very well over two seasons in Chicago, averaging 92.85% of snaps played, 97 receptions, 1,213 yards, and seven touchdowns, despite garbage offensive coordinating. High-end, premium talent at a below-market rate does not come around very often. He and the coaching staff at the moment not only have little to no connection with each other, they appear to have a noticeable degree of contention. DJ could legitimately swing the balance of power in the NFC playoff race. It is a move worth exploring, and would likely come at the cost of either Niners WR plus a mid round pick. C’mon Lynch, go do your thing.
Like the idea of Pittman but. ... . losing JJ would suck I'm not gunna lie.