Around the NFL, there was not much hotter chatter at the trade deadline than the frequent 49ers rumors that cropped up. San Francisco had looked, for much of the year, at least, like the best team in the league, had more cap space to use than any other team, and had a track record of being aggressive at the trade deadline.
GM John Lynch was a busy man in October.
The 49ers rumors proved true, of course, when the team brought in pass rusher Chase Young from Washington, for the relatively low cost of a compensatory third-round pick. But the 49ers had other big names on their list, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Among them would have been a true prize, likely a long-term answer at a position of need: cornerback Patrick Surtain II of the Broncos. Also on the cornerback list was Jaylon Johnson of the Bears, but Surtain would have been a true star acquisition, the 23-year-old son of a former NFL star who was a Pro Bowler and an All-Pro in his second season.
Wrote Schefter: “The San Francisco 49ers went looking for big names at the NFL trade deadline, checking on the availability of Denver Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, Chicago Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson and then-Washington Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat, among others, sources told ESPN.”
Surtain’s Father Tweeted Unhappiness
Ultimately, the Broncos squashed any 49ers rumors or other rumors around Surtain, opting to keep him in place for obvious reasons. No matter how bad the Broncos were at the start of the season, and no matter how much tearing apart of their roster they were going to do, dumping a young player of Surtain’s caliber would not have made much sense.
But hey, kudos to the 49ers for asking. And there was reason to think that Surtain might be seeking an escape from Denver.
Earlier in the year, Patrick Surtain Sr. was upset by the Broncos’ performance and tweeted about his son: “Toiling in the soil!! SMH 2 you deserve better,” the “2” referring to his son.
Toiling in the soil!! SMH 2 you deserve better
The sentiment might not carry all that much weight—parents blaming others for their children’s problems is nothing new—except that Surtain the First was quite the talented defensive back himself, playing 11 seasons for the Dolphins and Chiefs, and winning an All-Pro honor to go with three Pro Bowls, too.
That tweet helped spark 49ers rumors around Surtain, and the possibility the Broncos would trade him before things got messy.
49ers Rumors Around CBs Are Persistent
The other thing that had the 49ers looking at players like Surtain and Johnson is the relative weakness of the team’s secondary.
Heading into the season, Pro Football Focus ranked every unit in the NFL, and the 49ers were sterling, nearly across the board. The team’s linebackers and running backs were No. 1, the defensive line was No. 2 and the wide receivers were No. 4.
The only units that were not in the Top 4 were the offensive line (18) and the defensive backs (9), which had lost top slot safety Jimmie Ward in the offseason.
Those rankings have pretty much held up during the season. The offensive line has been so-so, good in run blocking but only 29th, by PFF’s grades, in pass blocking. The secondary has been good in coverage, and cornerback Chavarius Ward has been excellent, with a grade of 75.8, 15th out of 113 corners in the league. Deommodore Lenoir, though, has been a weak link, with a 61.8 grade, 64th out of 113 corners.
He has slipped lately, too, with grades of 52.0, 60.4 and 51.0 in the last three weeks, some of the worst performances on the team’s defense. That is why we saw 49ers rumors come up about cornerbacks at the deadline, and why we might see more in the future.
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49ers Sought ‘Big Name’ Trade for Broncos All-Pro: Report