The 49ers might need to cut their losses with Jauan Jennings more and more likely to depart. Could a reclaimation project give the Niners a chance to solve a second problem via a trade?
It's not exactly the most surprising thing to see wide receiver Jauan Jenningslisted on the trade block for the San Francisco 49ers. Jennings has been noticeably distant from the team week after week, failing to make an impact most weeks while getting into arguments on the sidelines.
The writing is seemingly on the wall that Jennings is not going to be a 49er beyond this season, so San Francisco may as well get something for him.
The New York Giants have been a team often mooted in hypotheticals given their interest in Jennings as a reliable veteran option for their young offense, with young EDGE Kayvon Thibodeaux mooted as a replacement (including from this website).
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A EDGE seems more and more unlikely, however, given the 49ers are taking a swing at a reclaimation project in former Patriot Keion White, but what about another Giant who could be a reclaimation project also while potentially filling the top offensive need of the team?
Former No. 7 overall pick Evan Neal is on the outer in East Rutherford, being a healthy scratch for the team as the G-Men look to go into a different direction. The talent is there, you don't become a top-10 selection otherwise, and maybe a new environment and a mentor in the generational Trent Williams could be a spark to boost his career.
A trade could kill 2 birds with 1 stone... and improve 49ers' draft hand
Any trade for Neal himself would be minimal, while an expected trade for Jennings calculated to be not too significant, but definitely a bit more than what the Giants could get for Neal, according to Sports Illiustrated's Grant Cohn:
"Perhaps another team feels it can motivate Jennings and bring out his joy and passion for the sport once again. Particularly a team such as the New York Giants that desperately needs a wide receiver and could give Jennings as many targets as he can handle.
I'm guessing the 49ers could get no more than a fifth-round pick for Jennings if they were to trade him next week before the Nov. 4 deadline. Or, the 49ers could trade him and a fourth-round pick to the Giants for former first-round edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux, who is under contract through 2026."
Grant Cohn, Sports Illustrated
The Niners could get a little bit more, given Cohn's famously pessimistic nature at times, but maybe the 49ers can trade players with New York as well as boost their draft hand for the 2026 NFL Draft next year, too, like so:
Neal might be a reclaimation project, but the 49ers can afford to give essentially a very late Day 3 pick to the G-Men for someone they're not using anyway. For the Giants, a Day 3 pick is a fair deal for a guy who will be their second wide receiver on the depth chart most likely after Malik Nabers returns from injury.
It's not a superstar trade, but it's a swing that could potentially give the Niners a chance to find their successor (and at worst, a depth piece) at left tackle as well as improve their hand when it comes to draft day.
For that, why not?