The Chiefs are hurting for wide receiver depth, but Super Bowl rival San Francisco is positioned to ruin their deadline plans.
As Kansas City aggressively shops for a target to fix Patrick Mahomes’ depleted passing game, the 49ers are looming as the ultimate spoiler. John Lynch has the cap flexibility to hijack any potential move for Brian Thomas Jr., setting up a high-stakes inter-conference bidding war for Jacksonville’s speedster.
49ers Also Top Landing Spot for Brian Thomas Jr. Besides Chiefs
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Matt Bowen place the 49ers right beside the Chiefs as the top landing spots for Thomas Jr.
“League execs are sensing the end for BTJ in Jacksonville, as his targets and playing time have dipped,” Fowler writes. “How Jacksonville has struggled to make this relationship work is still a mystery. Thomas is an elite mover with size who draws coverage deep, setting the stage for teammates Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers to eat underneath. But that plan for Thomas hasn’t materialized this season. And teams are circling with interest. Kansas City and Pittsburgh are among those exploring receiver help.”
With Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton out due to injury, Xavier Worthy and practice squad elevated player Justin Watson are the primary options Mahomes has left, and the rest are young, developmental pieces.
Earlier this week, Fowler confirmed what everyone already knows. Brett Veach is burning up the phone lines for wideout help as the trade deadline ticks down. They are actively shopping.
So, it’s more of a when question than an if.
Fowler even gives Thomas Jr. a 45% chance to get traded.
“Thomas’ numbers have declined over the past two seasons, but he has the traits to still draw interest,” ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote in his analysis of Thomas Jr. “At 6-foot-3 and 209 pounds, Thomas has the profile of an X receiver who can separate at multiple levels of the field. I see legit straight-line speed and ball-tracking ability. He had 87 receptions and 10 touchdowns as a rookie in 2024, but he has been limited to a 9-105-1 line so far this season.”
Why the 49ers Might Have an Edge Over the Chiefs?
All that said, the 49ers are just as receiver-needy in San Francisco.
Even after eating DeForest Buckner’s deal in a blockbuster reunion with Indy, John Lynch is sitting on more than enough cap space to squeeze Brian Thomas Jr. onto the books.
But the finances are not the only reason they have a higher chance to trade for a receiver like Thomas Jr.
The timeline for help is entirely up in the air. Shanahan cautioned that a Week 9 return for Nick Bosa, Deebo Samuel, Mike Evans, and company is far from locked in. Given how fast the 49ers’ depth chart crumbles, waiting around for guys to get healthy is a massive risk. Shanahan essentially admitted they might have to rent outside weapons for a week or two just to survive the injury wave.
That’s why Shanahan even admitted wanting to stockpile some players with injuries already piling up in the locker room.
“We would love to just stockpile some players in case some people get hurt going forward because the odds are people do,” Shanahan said, per ESPN. “You’ve got to kind of see where you’re at and try to guess the future,” Shanahan said.
The clock is ticking on both Super Bowl hopefuls, turning this sweepstakes into a straight race to see who can pull a ‘yes’ out of James Gladstone first.
49ers Urged to Raid Chiefs’ Trade Target Board for Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr.