The San Francisco 49ers are 7-1 and atop the NFC West entering Week 10 of the NFL season.
While they don’t have many holes, the 49ers are dealing with a plethora of injuries, particularly at wide receiver.
With that in mind, San Francisco made a trade before Tuesday’s deadline to acquire veteran wide receiver Keenan Allen, sending a 2027 sixth-round pick to the Indianapolis Colts.
Interestingly enough, the 49ers had their eyes on another Colts wide receiver before acquiring Allen. Shanahan initially brought up Allen’s name to general manager John Lynch, who had previously targeted a different Indianapolis receiver.
Lynch Reveals WR the 49ers Were Targeting
Appearing on KNBR Thursday morning, Lynch revealed that the 49ers initially had their eyes set on fellow Colts wide receiver Josh Downs.
However, once Shanahan brought up Allen’s name, Lynch began exploring that possibility. The conversations gained momentum around the time San Francisco acquired DeForest Buckner from Indianapolis, and the deal ultimately came together before the deadline.
The Chiefs also traded for Downs before the deadline, paying a much heftier price than the 49ers gave up to acquire Allen.
“Really we kind of focused on Josh Downs as an option that we had some interested in….in the process Kyle was like what about Keenan? I said let me ask about that… there started a conversation about two and half weeks ago,” Lynch said. “I think it’s a really good fit for us. We wanted to make an add at receiver.”
#49ers John Lynch on Keenan Allen Trade:
“Really we kind of focused on Josh Downs as an option that we had some interested in….in the process Kyle was like what about Keenan? I said let me ask about that…there started a conversation about two and half weeks ago….I think it’s a really good fit for us. We wanted to make an add at receiver.”
(Via @knbrmurph & @MarkusBoucher)
— KNBR (@KNBR) November 12, 2026
Looking at the Addition of Allen
Allen, 34, isn’t the player he was earlier in his 14-year career, but he’s still a six-time Pro Bowler who has established himself as one of the best wide receivers of the past decade.
Much like fellow veteran Mike Evans, Allen understands the game well enough to find ways to get open, even if he doesn’t have the same physical tools he once did.
This season with the Colts, Allen has hauled in 40 receptions for 350 yards and a touchdown, averaging 8.8 yards per reception.
49ers GM Reveals WR They Were Targeting Before Keenan Allen Trade