The San Francisco 49ers [chose to stand pat](https://ninernoise.com/simple-reason-49ers-didn-t-make-move-nfl-trade-deadline) at the NFL trade deadline this season. While some fans will be disappointed, it is a clear message from general manager John Lynch to the team for better or worse: You're on your own.
On the one hand, this could be seen as a vote of confidence. Perhaps Lynch sees enough talent on this team to give him belief it can make the playoffs and maybe a run at the Super Bowl. But more realistically, he is aware enough that this team is probably not one trade away from being a true contender.
The losses of edge rusher Nick Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner were so momentous that no matter what moves the Niners made, and it would be impossible to replace what those two bring to the table.
Lynch did at least [make a move](https://ninernoise.com/49ers-quietly-took-a-gamble-on-patriots-keion-white-in-surprising-trade-move) for edge rusher Keion White to add some depth, but not even losing first-round draft pick Mykel Williams to a torn ACL was enough to force some sort of desperation move ahead of the deadline.
49ers' inactivity at NFL trade deadline is a clear message from John Lynch
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
It certainly seems like the Niners tried, and Lynch was surely active and working the phones up until the deadline itself. But ultimately, he must have felt that whatever teams were asking for an edge rusher was probably not worth it to mortgage the future in exchange for a player who probably would not help San Francisco make the playoffs this season.
Sometimes, the trades you don't make end up looking better than the trades you do. Had the Niners gotten a big edge rusher like Cincinnati Bengals star Trey Hendrickson and they did not make a deep playoff run, and then he departed in free agency while the 49ers had to give up a first-round pick, it would have looked like a bad move.
Maybe the Niners can rally around the fact that they are so depleted due to injury, yet still find themselves right in the thick of things in the NFC West. Sure, some reinforcements would have been nice and a big trade may have signaled the front office's belief in the roster, but now the players know they are on their own and it is up to them, not some savior from the outside, to determine their fate this season.
It may be frustrating since many fans are conditioned to Lynch making big trades whether it be for Emmanuel Sanders, Christian McCaffrey, or Chase Young.
But San Francisco is not like those other teams, which is why this clear message from Lynch does not come as a huge shock.