San Francisco 49ers Stay Put at the Trade Deadline

Despite rumors and speculations that they would be moving some pieces, the San Francisco 49ers stayed put at Monday’s trade deadline.

At the halfway point of the season, the San Francisco 49ers hold a 1-7 record and aren’t playing for anything this season. They are dead last in the NFC West after falling to the Arizona Cardinals in a battle for third place this past Sunday.

With all that in mind, it wouldn’t have been surprising for the 49ers to try and ship out some players and gain some draft picks to help along this rebuild. But a year after making a huge trade to get Jimmy Garoppolo at the deadline, the 49ers stayed where they are, not making a trade on Tuesday.

Pierre Garçon was one of the most popular 49ers in rumors ahead of the deadline. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the 49ers had talked to “multiple teams around the league” regarding the veteran wide receiver, but ultimately, nothing came to fruition.

Garçon, now 32 years old, has caught 21 passes for 230 yards in seven games so far this season, but did miss last week’s game because of knee and shoulder injuries. He’s in his second year with San Francisco, and has yet to catch a touchdown through 15 games with the club. He has three seasons left on his current five-year contract, but all three years are club options.

More from Golden Gate Sports

• Raiders: Rookie stock report following Week 3 performance
• 49ers sign new long snapper amidst a flurry of roster moves
• Oakland Athletics win Game 2 of Wild Card round with late-inning drama
• 49ers: George Kittle and Deebo Samuel cleared to return to practice
• 49ers expected to place DE Dee Ford on injured reserve

His contract status, with the controlling team not fully locked in for three more years, and his track record (over 600 receptions, nearly 8,000 yards) should have made Garçon a valuable target for a number of contending teams. His injury history, exacerbated by the fact that he missed the 49ers most recent game and that he’s not exactly a spring chicken at 32, could have scared some teams away. Either way, it’s a bit surprising the 49ers weren’t able to get something in return.

Other names that had come up, either in rumors or speculation, include left tackle Joe Staley (Mike Sando of ESPN brought up that possibility), and safety Jimmie Ward. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer mentioned that Ward had been involved in trade discussions, but the 49ers would want a significant return to deal him. It’s possible that no team was willing to match that demand.

Teams within the division weren’t so keen to stay where they were. The first-place Los Angeles Rams, the lone undefeated team left in the NFL at 8-0, weren’t content to stand pat at the deadline. They improved a defense that has been questionable at times, adding another pass rusher to a strong defensive line. They traded a pair of draft picks (2019 third-round pick and 2020 fifth-round pick) to the Jacksonville Jaguars to acquire edge rusher Dante Fowler.

The 49ers will look the same on Thursday night when they take on the also hapless Oakland Raiders, with the possibility of one exception. C.J. Beathard has been the starter since Jimmy Garoppolo was injured in week three, but his status is in question for Thursday after suffering a right wrist injury on Sunday against the Cardinals. He’s reportedly struggling to hold the ball, which could put Nick Mullens in as the starter. If that does happen, it would be Mullens first career NFL action after going undrafted in 2017 out of Southern Miss.