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SANTA CLARA — Before they even kicked off Monday night, the 49ers had a pretty good week.
On Thursday night, they kicked back and put even more separation between them and the Seahawks. On Sunday, they sat idle while the Rams continued to flail against the Cardinals.
The developments outside their division were favorable for another reason: The Niners are sure to be active ahead of next month’s trade deadline, and general manager John Lynch should have no shortage of potential partners. With Week 6 in the rearview mirror, a handful of the week’s biggest losers firmed up their statuses as sellers ahead of the Nov. 10 deadline.
Lynch said last week that he’s started working the phones, “just to see where the market is at.” Tight end George Kittle is doing his part, pestering the GM to swing a deal that will help the 49ers turn their 5-0 record entering Monday night into the No. 1 seed in the NFC.
“I just like to chirp him and ask what he’s interested in, to see if he’ll give me anything,” Kittle said. “He didn’t really give me a lot yesterday, but me, [fullback Kyle Juszczyk], [left tackle] Trent [Williams], we all chirp him just to see if he’ll actually tell us anything.”
So far, Lynch has stayed mum and the 49ers have kept their powder dry.
But with San Francisco firmly in playoff position and a few clear weak points on its roster, Lynch should eventually have some good news to pass along to his pesky players.
At least six teams should have faced reality after losses this week. All of them possess players that should at least prompt a phone call from Lynch, if not a longer conversation.
Colts: DT DeForest Buckner
Along the theme of getting the gang back together, the 49ers would be wise to do the same about-face they did with Deebo Samuel and Dre Greenlaw. Like the aforementioned pieces from the earlier iterations of Kyle Shanahan’s teams, the 49ers were never quite able to replace Buckner after letting him walk in free agency after their first Super Bowl run in 2019.
The 6-foot-7, 295-pounder would fill a huge need as a run-stopping interior defensive lineman who can also get after the quarterback, even if he isn’t quite the same player he once was.
Indianapolis fired general manager Chris Ballard after its 26-20 loss to the previously winless Titans sent them to 2-4, and it’s easy to conceive the Colts conducting a firesale.
Afterward, Buckner expressed his frustration, saying that he was “sick and tired of the same song and dance every year.”
If Lynch is interested in putting together a package deal, veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen and All-Pro guard Quenton Nelson should also be attractive for the 49ers.
Buccaneers: DT Vita Vea
If Lynch wants to upgrade the interior of the 49ers’ defensive line, it would be hard to do better than Buckner. But there is one other option, who happened to grow up a stone’s throw from Levi’s Stadium — the 347-pound Tongan from Milpitas currently playing one-technique for a team that fell to 1-5 with a home loss to the Steelers.
Vea was a hotly rumored trade candidate before the season, but the Bucs put that discussion to rest by signing him to a $30 million extension through 2027. However, with their season up in flames, maybe they would reconsider whether Vea, 31, fits in their future plans.
If the the Bucs don’t want to let go of Vea, or if their price is too high for the 49ers, Lynch could shift topics to A’Shawn Robinson or YaYa Diaby for cheaper upgrades on the defensive line.
Raiders: DE Maxx Crosby
The Raiders had a deal in place to trade the five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher over the summer before the Ravens backed out due to concerns over his physical. Then, they got off to a hot start, at 3-0, and any chance of them moving Crosby seemed to vanish.
The 49ers have been connected to him all along, with Crosby representing arguably the biggest upgrade they could make at their area of biggest need — the pass rush.
Now that the Raiders have fallen back to earth, with their third loss in a row Sunday to fall to 3-3, maybe they reconsider making him available.
Chargers: DE Khalil Mack
Still in search of their first win, the 0-6 Chargers may need to add another phone line with the numbers of calls they will be getting over the next three weeks. If the Raiders shoot down any offers for Crosby, Lynch should do what it takes to pry Mack from the Chargers.
At 35, Mack has still logged 8 ½ sacks since the start of last season, more than anybody the 49ers currently have. Imagine the fear in quarterbacks eyes’ when they have Nick Bosa rushing them from one side and Mack coming from the other.
Eagles: WR/PR/KR Britain Covey
The Eagles’ season is shot after blood clots were discovered in quarterback Jalen Hurts’ lungs while they fell to 2-4 over the weekend. Philadelphia seems likely to run it back next season, but it’s worth a call to see if Lynch can upgrade the 49ers’ return game.
Covey could provide some depth at receiver, but the 49ers should be interested in him primarily to replace Jacob Cowing back deep on kickoffs and punts. Covey has run back 117 returns since 2022, a wealth of experience that would be valuable in pressure-packed situations.
Falcons: WR Drake London
The 49ers will have a chance to put a dagger in the Falcons’ season next week. A win Sunday in Atlanta would drop the Falcons to 2-5, a start that will be difficult to overcome even in the NFC South. Even then, it’s no sure thing that they would ever listen to offers on London.
The eighth overall pick in 2022 would be the same kind of swing for the fences on the offensive side of the ball that Vea, Buckner, Crosby or Mack would be for their defense.
Like Buckner, London has publicly expressed frustration in his usage and his team’s lack of success. You can bet the 6-foot-4 wideout would find greener pastures in San Francisco, where Brock Purdy has enjoyed throwing to other big targets in Mike Evans and Kittle.