The San Francisco 49ers are off to a hot start this season at 5-2 despite countless injuries. The Niners definitely could be in a position to buy ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline, and the New York Jets look to be big sellers.
That's right, the organization that fired 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh last season after a rough start as head coach -- a decision they may be regretting after their 0-7 start coupled with Saleh's brilliance as a defensive coordinator this season -- may be selling off some players soon, which could give San Francisco a chance to pillage Gang Green's roster.
According to a report from one NFL insider, the Jets could be looking to trade, "Breece Hall, Quincy Williams, Jermaine Johnson II, Will McDonald IV, Michael Carter II, and Allen Lazard, among others, per sources."
The 49ers could have interest in some of these players, especially edge rushers like Johnson and McDonald. Linebacker Quincy Williams, wide receiver Allen Lazard, and cornerback Michael Carter could make sense as well, given those are all positions where the Niners have suffered injuries.
San Francisco's defense was excellent on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons as Saleh's group limited Atlanta to just 10 points despite being without linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa for the rest of the regular season. However, the Niners lost edge rusher Bryce Huff for a few weeks after he had a big game.
The 49ers are playing too well to give up on this season especially as they sit atop the NFC West standings. They need to make some moves, and the current state of the Jets creates a golden opportunity.
Williams is currently on injured reserve, but back in 2023, he earned first-team All-Pro honors at linebacker. He would provide a big boost to a linebacker corps still reeling from the loss of Warner even though Tatum Bethune looked solid in his first game as a starter.
Johnson has just one sack on the season in four games, but he had 7.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl back in 2023. McDonald has two sacks on the year and had 10.5 in 2024.
The 49ers have been really banged up at wide receiver as Brandon Aiyuk has missed the entire season as he recovers from his knee injury, and Ricky Pearsall has been out the past few weeks with a knee injury. Lazard had some solid years with the Green Bay Packers, so he could be a potential depth piece for the team.
In sum, the Niners have a great opportunity to improve their roster by adding some pieces from the worst team in the NFL. These defenders played for and had success under Saleh while he was there, so it would make a ton of sense to reunite them in San Francisco.