49ers’ top two trade targets to complete their roster in 2024
For the past five years, the San Francisco 49ers have regularly been among the top NFL teams. In the last five seasons, they have made it to the NFC conference final four times, winning two of those title matches. However, they were defeated in their two Super Bowl trips. This year, the Niners will try again as they return their loaded core. Despite how stacked they are, they still have room to maneuver. A trade aimed at Damarri Mathis and Treylon Burks might complete the 49ers’ 2024 roster.
Talk has revolved around San Francisco’s wide receiver room the entire offseason. Trade negotiations have been held for Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk in 2024. The primary reasons for this is Aiyuk’s upcoming contract predicament. He is presently skipping OTAs to increase his chances of obtaining a sizable extension as he approaches the last year of his rookie contract.
The 49ers’ problem is that they previously awarded Samuel a large contract the previous season. He signed a seventy-one million dollar, three-year contract last year, including guaranteed money of $58 million. That’s fantastic for him, but it creates a dilemma for San Francisco. With the money they’ve spent on other players, the 49ers cannot have two lucrative wide receiver contracts on their books. Brock Purdy’s contract renewal is also imminent.
In 2025, San Francisco will be able to terminate Samuel’s contract and avoid paying roughly $9 million. Aiyuk’s extension might benefit from that, but the 49ers would lose one of their most potent weapons and a key component of their attack. After selecting Florida’s Ricky Pearsall in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, they have started to overcome this situation, but they still need additional assistance.
Treylon Burks of Tennessee might be that. His progress with the Titans has been hindered by injuries and a regime change; this could make him tradeable. Deebo was a favorite of his upon graduating from the University of Arkansas.
It’s likely that the 49ers will re-sign Aiyuk and eventually attempt to cut Samuel loose. They made a wise choice in selecting Pearsall, but they should consider including another gifted receiver in the mix. Burks might be that person.
Despite how strong their defense is, opposing teams had little trouble moving the ball against San Francisco in the playoffs. They were specifically targeted by airborne attacks. Jordan Love threw two touchdown passes and completed about 62% of his throws. With 41 completions, Jared Goff gained 273 yards and a 61% completion rate. After that, Patrick Mahomes completed 332-yard pass play with two touchdowns, the latter going to Mecole Hardman to seal the victory.
During the playoffs, San Francisco’s secondary struggled and did little to improve. In the offseason, the 49ers did sign Isaac Yiadom and Rock Ya-Sin. Ya-Sin, however, has moved across the league and Yiadom is mostly a special team player. Renardo Green of Florida State was also selected by San Francisco with a second-round pick, although some thought it was a stretch.
It wouldn’t hurt to bolster that group further, and the 49ers might accomplish so by acquiring Damarri Mathis of Denver. Mathis underperformed the previous season after having a strong debut campaign. Although it’s difficult to discern who the real Mathis is, what he showed on tape in his debut season should cause someone to have doubts about him.
Those groups might get the opportunity. After the previous season, Sean Payton may get jaded because he wasn’t in Denver when Mathis was selected by the Broncos. In the summer, they also signed Levi Wallace, who will probably push Mathis down the depth chart. If the Broncos made him available, it wouldn’t come as a huge surprise.
The 49ers should check the cost of a deal if they do. It never hurts for a club aiming to win a Super Bowl to add depth at a top position like cornerback.
