The San Francisco 49ers have already made a move ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline, bringing defensive lineman DeForest Buckner back in a deal with the Indianapolis Colts. The question now is whether they’re willing to make an even bigger splash.
With injuries affecting their wide receiver group, the 49ers have been linked to New York Jets wideout Garrett Wilson. Acquiring him would likely require a first-round pick, making it a significant investment for San Francisco.
Wilson could offer more than a short-term boost, though. He would give Brock Purdy a potential long-term No. 1 receiver, which could make the price worth considering.
Amid the speculation involving the Niners and Wilson, 49ers reporter Nick Wagoner didn’t rule out a move of that magnitude but did note that it could be difficult to pull off.
“I think there’s a certain sentiment in that locker room of, ‘Let’s go for broke,'” Wagoner said in an Oct. 28 video from Sactown Sports 1140. “I’m not saying [the 49ers] don’t care about draft picks, but I do think they’re in a position of, ‘Let’s go for this and push our chips into the middle.’
“… The Garrett Wilson thing, I understand why fans want that. I talked to a couple of people in New York yesterday who follow this closely and are around the team, and they don’t think Garrett Wilson is available. I don’t think he’s available.
“They do think you could maybe make an offer along the lines of the Sauce Gardner offer to try to get them to come off Garrett Wilson. That might move the needle, but then you’re talking about two first-round picks. Sure. I’m not sure that’s where the Niners would be willing to go.”
Why 49ers Could Consider Trading for Jets’ Garrett Wilson
Nonetheless, Wagoner did note why the Niners could consider making that splash move for Wilson, as it gives them that No. 1 guy even if Mike Evans were to suffer another injury down the road.
“I can’t say definitively that they wouldn’t, because if you do that, at least you have a guy who not only, if you have Mike Evans, you feel great about the situation, but if you don’t have Mike Evans, you still have a No. 1 receiver,” Wagoner added.
“I totally understand the line of thinking among fans when they have that conversation. To me, I think that’s why the wide receiver situation needs to be a conversation and why they need to add someone, because you cannot continue to count on these guys to get healthy and stay healthy.”
Niners Could Pursue Other Wide Receivers at Trade Deadline
Furthermore, the ESPN reporter stated that if the Niners do pursue a wideout, it’s more likely that they pursue a second-tier wide receiver rather than making a blockbuster decision.
“You start looking at the other options: Brian Thomas and Josh Downs, along with these other guys,” Wagoner said. “I think that’s probably a more likely scenario than Garrett Wilson, which would be a big swing. But I’m not ready to rule anything out because I do think the 49ers are going to continue to be aggressive and look to make additions.”
49ers Insider Gets Blunt on Jets’ Garrett Wilson Trade Speculation