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1. Defensive Ends Bradley Chubb and Trey Hendrickson If the 49ers are serious about making a postseason push, they need to find a substitute for the irreplaceable Nick Bosa. In-house candidates like Bryce Huff and Mykel Williams are holding down the fort. Yet, imagine how much scarier the team’s defensive line would be if Chubb or Hendrickson, both of whom have four sacks this season, were rushing the quarterback from the opposite side. The 1-6 Miami Dolphins may be more inclined to sell Chubb as the team looks to be staring down a coaching change and roster rebuild. On the other hand, the 3-4 Cincinnati Bengals may want to keep Hendrickson for the rest of the season and then try to re-sign their best pass-rusher in free agency. Both players are currently having success in 4-3 fronts, which aligns with San Francisco’s system under defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. 2) Linebacker concerns In the wake of Warner’s season-ending ankle injury, second-year pro Tatum Bethune got the start against the Atlanta Falcons. Bethune accumulated ten tackles, helping his team hold the Falcons’ explosive offense to only 10 points. The 49ers might stick with Bethune, or they could look to trade for someone like Bengals linebacker Logan Wilson to start in his place or as an insurance policy in case of injury. Wilson, in his sixth year, has fallen out of favor with the Bengals, but his consistent NFL production over the past few seasons shows the linebacker would be a big help to whichever team trades for him if his trade request gets honored. 49ers Trade Deadline Targets: Wide Receivers Who Could Improve the Offense Before the season started, nobody thought the 49ers would have to rely on Kendrick Bourne as their top wide receiver. Unfortunately, that has been the case as Pearsall and Jauan Jennings have been injured and ineffective. The NFL has become a passing-heavy league, meaning that teams will not part with their wide receivers for nothing. One name out there is Jakobi Myers, who publicly requested a trade from the Las Vegas Raiders. Or, the 49ers could reach out about the availability of New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave. Myers would help the team from the slot receiver position, while Olave is more of a vertical, stretch-the-field receiver. Whether general manager John Lynch and the 49ers pull the trigger on a trade will depend on how they view this season — as a chance to contend now or to preserve the future. Either way, with veterans like Williams, Kittle, and McCaffrey still anchoring the roster, San Francisco’s Super Bowl window remains open. If the 49ers truly want to strike gold, this trade deadline may be their best chance to find it.
