In the waning hours counting down to the Nov. 4 NFL trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET, it seemed imminent general manager John Lynch and the San Francisco 49ers were going to pull off a move.
Especially with the New York Jets engineering an all-out fire sale that sent notable defenders like cornerback Sauce Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams elsewhere.
Lynch and the Niners were rumored to be in hot pursuit, particularly regarding defensive end Jermaine Johnson, who was a prized asset under the tutelage of then-head coach Robert Saleh prior to his 2024 firing and subsequent reunion with San Francisco.
Yet no deal was reached, perhaps because Gang Green's asking price was too high for Lynch's comfort zone:
Teams continue to call about #Jets DE Jermaine Johnson, per sources. Offers include a second-round pick.
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) November 4, 2025
The need was clearly there, particularly after the 49ers lost defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams to season-ending ACL tears, while Yetur Gross-Matos and Bryce Huff are dealing with separate injuries of their own. About the only way Lynch could respond was by the previous trade with the New England Patriots for the pass-rushing services of Keion White.
While it's understandable why some fans may be disappointed in the Niners' inaction leading up to the deadline, there's a concrete reason why no moves were pulled off.
Even San Francisco's own brass has been announcing it for weeks.
49ers wouldn't make a trade unless it benefited them long term
Rewind to last offseason when the 49ers parted ways with plenty of high-profile players in an attempt to get both younger and cheaper, then invested plenty of capital into the 2025 NFL Draft, particularly on the defensive side of the ball.
Lynch and the Niners effectively said 2025 would be a retooling season, relying heavily on rookies. And despite what was seen as an easy schedule, aiming for nothing less than a Super Bowl was never in San Francisco's plans.
Even after the 49ers' Week 7 loss to the Houston Texans, head coach Kyle Shanahan effectively said the quiet part out loud about his team's intentions leading up to the deadline.
"Nothing changes anything," Shanahan responded when asked if the Niners would be more aggressive at the deadline in light of the loss. "It has to do with what's available out there, and does it help us this year, does it help us next year. Usually, as things get closer, you get a little more idea on who's real and who's not, and we'll evaluate that for the short term and long term."
Well, things got closer. And San Francisco ultimately determined whatever options out there weren't going to help this year...
And next year, too.
The 49ers unquestionably had offers out there for players who fit that mold, yet it's a strong likelihood the asking price from selling squads far exceeded what Lynch, Shanahan and Co. were willing to offer.
As such, the Niners opted to retain their draft assets with the hope of longer-term success.
Whether or not that was the right choice remains to be seen.