Getty Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (left), Samuel Womack (center) and Taybor Pepper celebrate in Inglewood on October 30, 2022.
The San Francisco 49ers were declared winners on NFL trade deadline day, including one NFL personnel executive telling Heavy NFL senior reporter Matt Lombardo on Tuesday, November 1 that the Christian McCaffrey trade “makes them quite a bit better.”
But could the 49ers claim another victory after the trade deadline? And perhaps before they return to the field on November 13 against the Los Angeles Chargers?
One name is still out there after his team, a rival of the 49ers, cut him loose after failing to send him away via trade. But there are suggestions directed toward the 49ers to capitalize on swooping up this former $3.6 Million starter to bolster what’s considered a still-needy spot.
Cornerback Considered Trade Target Now Available
The Seattle Seahawks were among the teams actively calling the phone lines and making/hearing trade offers on deadline day. And one of the names that was at the top of the list in the Pacific Northwest: Cornerback Sidney Jones.
Jones, though, was never traded and ended up being released from the team following the 1 p.m. Pacific deadline on Tuesday. His departure immediately ended his one-year, $3,600,000 deal he signed with the ‘Hawks during the offseason.
Heavy on Seahawks reporter Jonathan Adams wrote how the Seahawks’ decision came with a financial impact.
“Seattle decided that the financial savings was worth more to the franchise than having insurance in case of an unexpected injury as the team approached the stretch run for the postseason,” Adams wrote.
He added how the former second round draft selection out of nearby University of Washington was brought in expected to challenge for one of the cornerback spots. Jones came back to the Apple State after having spent two seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Prior to Jacksonville, he was signed to a four-year, $6,140,090 entry level contract with the team that drafted him the Philadelphia Eagles. He won Super Bowl 52 in his rookie season with the Eagles.
49ers Being Encouraged to Snatch Jones
On deadline day, many fans and analysts wondered if the 49ers would pursue a cornerback. The reason being is Emmanuel Moseley being out for the rest of 2022 with a torn ACL and adding depth to a room that also has Jason Verrett coming back from his ACL tear.
The only deal the 49ers made involved sending leading rusher Jeff Wilson to the Miami Dolphins for a 2023 fifth round draft selection — a round the 49ers have used to get future starting safety Talanoa Hufanga, nickelbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Samuel Womack, outside linebacker Dre Greenlaw and, arguably, their greatest fifth round find in George Kittle.
But with no trade done to grab a corner on the 49ers’ end, plus Seattle not being able to find a trade suitor for Jones, fans have chimed in suggesting the 49ers make a dash at the 6-foot, 181-pounder.
Jones’ name was attached to two other potential suitors here.
One fan was hoping to see the 49ers go after Jones before the deadline.
Jones was even listed as a trade candidate idea by Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report on October 12 — two days after Moseley was lost for the year.
If the 49ers were to gravitate toward Jones, they would be getting a CB who has improved his pass deflection totals each season from 2018 to 2021 — going from two PDs in ’18 to a career-best 10 during his first season with Seattle in 2021.
The emergence of rookies Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant helped complicate Jones’ future in Seattle. Jones started just three games in 2022, while Woolen has led the way with four interceptions and Bryant has forced a team-high four fumbles for the first place Seahawks.