49ers Sought ‘Big Name’ Trade for…

49ers Sought ‘Big Name’ Trade for Broncos All-Pro: Report

Patrick Surtain II (left) was the subject of 49ers rumors and sought after by GM John Lynch.

At the trade deadline, there wasn’t much more heated conversation in the NFL than the recurrent 49ers rumors.With more cap room than any other team and a history of being active at trade deadlines, San Francisco had, for the most part of the season, appeared to be the greatest team in the league.

October saw GM John Lynch leading a busy life.

Naturally, the 49ers’ rumors came to pass when they acquired Washington’s Chase Young, a pass rusher, for the comparatively cheap price of a compensatory third-round pick. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the 49ers have other notable players on their roster.

Among them would have been Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, a genuine prize and probably a long-term solution in a time of need. Jaylon Johnson of the Bears was also on the cornerback list, but Surtain, the 23-year-old son of a former NFL star who was an All-Pro in his second season, would have been a genuine star acquisition.

Schefter wrote: “Sources told ESPN that the San Francisco 49ers went looking for big names at the NFL trade deadline, checking on the availability of Pat Surtain II of the Denver Broncos, Jaylon Johnson of the Chicago Bears, and then-defensive end Montage Sweat of the Washington Commanders, among others.”

Surtain’s Father Tweeted Unhappiness

In the end, the Broncos dispelled any 49ers or other speculations involving Surtain, choosing to retain him for apparent reasons. Dumping a young player of Surtain’s caliber would not have made sense, regardless of how poor the Broncos were coming into the season or how much squad dismantling they were going to do.

Well, the 49ers deserve some credit for asking. Furthermore, there was cause for concern that Surtain might be trying to get away from Denver.

The Broncos’ performance earlier in the season infuriated Patrick Surtain Sr., who tweeted about his son, “Toiling in the soil!!” SMH 2 (his son), you deserve better, the “2” said.

Parents blaming others for their children’s problems are not new, so the sentiment may not be all that strong, but Surtain the First was a very good defensive back who played for the Dolphins and Chiefs for 11 seasons, winning three Pro Bowls and an All-Pro selection.

 

That tweet contributed to the rumors surrounding Surtain and the 49ers, including the notion that the Broncos might trade him before things got out of hand.

49ers CB rumors are persistent.

The 49ers were also considering players like Johnson and Surtain due to the secondary’s relative vulnerability.

Pro Football Focus ranked every NFL team before the season, and the 49ers performed admirably almost everywhere. Wide receivers were ranked No. 4, defensive line was ranked No. 2, while the team’s linebackers and running backs were ranked No. 1.

 

The defensive backs (9), who had lost starting slot safety Jimmie Ward in the offseason, and the offensive line (18) were the only teams not in the Top 4.

Throughout the season, those rankings have largely remained stable. The offensive line has performed mediocrely in run blocking but only ranks 29th in pass blocking according to PFF ratings.

With a grade of 75.8, 15th out of 113 corners in the league, cornerback Chavarius Ward has been outstanding and the secondary has performed well in coverage.However, Deommodore Lenoir has been a weak point, ranking 64th out of 113 corners with a rating of 61.8.  With evaluations of 52.0, 60.4, and 51.0 over the past three weeks—some of the poorest showings on the team’s defense—he has also recently declined. This explains why there were 49ers cornerback rumors circulating at the deadline, and why there may be more in the future.

 

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