The San Francisco 49ers reportedly wanted to trade for a No. 1 receiver for the foreseeable future. On Nov. 12, Rich Cimini of ESPN reported that the Niners and the Kansas City Chiefs were interested in New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson leading up to the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
“A trade never was a realistic possibility even though the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers were interested,” Cimini wrote. “Wilson didn’t want to leave, and the Jets didn’t want to deal arguably their best player. Under contract through 2030, he’s viewed as a foundational piece.”
Nonetheless, NBC Sports NFL insider Mike Florio isn’t buying that Wilson wouldn’t want to leave the Jets and possibly join a 7-1 team to be that key piece for a team looking to win a Super Bowl.
“Rich Cimini says neither the Jets nor Wilson wanted the trade to happen; I’m not so sure Wilson wouldn’t welcome a fresh start,” Florio said in a Nov. 12 video on the NFL on NBC YouTube channel.
“You give Garrett Wilson a chance to jump to the 49ers or the Chiefs. I’m not so sure he’d say, ‘Nah, I’m fine with this franchise.’ Now, with the 49ers, you have to take into account California’s 13.3 percent state income tax, but they’re 7-1. Garrett Wilson’s never had the privilege of playing for a winner.”
Why Jets Likely Didn’t Want to Trade Garrett Wilson
Moreover, Florio explained why the Jets probably didn’t want to trade Wilson, noting that people in the building and the coaching staff want to have the best players to potentially save their jobs. As a result, it wouldn’t have made sense for teams like New York to have a fire sale.
“Whether it’s the Chargers, who ultimately sold no one because the [Daiyan] Henley deal fell through, or the Jets, who traded no one, teams traded fewer players than we thought they would,” Florio added.
“There’s a certain element of self-preservation that comes into play if you’re the coach or the GM of a team that would be trading off assets. If you’re already on the hot seat and you start trading away your best players, you make it harder to keep your job the following year.”
49ers Defense Will Have Challenge Against Cowboys Wideouts
Speaking of wide receivers, the Niners’ defense will likely face the Dallas Cowboys‘ duo of George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb. Meanwhile, on Nov. 12, 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris spoke to the media and shared his thoughts on facing the Cowboys’ wideout group.
“Obviously, when you start with CeeDee, you’re talking about a guy who’s highly targeted and has a bunch of receptions,” Morris told reporters. “He’s a volume player. He gets the ball a lot. They put the ball in his hands. He’s like all those guys, [Jaxon Smith-Njigba], [Puka] Nacua, and others in our division who are targeted heavily.
“Then you have that freak on the other side in Pickens. Sometimes on the same side, he’s got freakish ability. He’s a great mover and very versatile. He can do a bunch of different things. He can shock you in all types of ways, downfield vertically or with catch-and-run plays. They’re a very difficult group. I’m very excited about the matchup.”
Insider Casts Doubt on Garrett Wilson’s Trade Stance Amid 49ers Rumor