This under-the-radar 49ers player could get dealt at the trade deadline

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Bill Barnwell of ESPN recently wrote a column proposing 13 trades that made sense to him.

They were not the biggest blockbuster and fantasy-friendly trades, but just decisions that could benefit both sides. For the San Francisco 49ers, he mentioned a name that has yet to be brought up in trade discussions. Barnwell has the 49ers trading Jason Pinnock to the Buffalo Bills. 

Will the San Francisco 49ers trade Jason Pinnock?

Pinnock's not going to transform the Bills' defense, but he has been passable as a center fielder as a pro and would offer the Bills some depth. Bishop had to briefly leave the Falcons game, leading the Bills to turn to 34-year-old veteran Jordan Poyer for a handful of snaps. Poyer was once an essential part of Sean McDermott's defense, but those days have come and gone. The 49ers would add a little bit of draft capital with this deal, something they could use to address one of the eight or nine positions on their roster that have been riddled with injuries this season as part of another deal.

Bill Barnwell

The deal makes sense on paper. The Buffalo Bills are not only struggling with their starters at safety, but they are thin in depth. This is a team that thinks they can win a Super Bowl, so adding any sort of depth should be a move they are willing to make.

Meanwhile, Pinnock quickly fell out of the rotation for the 49ers. Malik Mustapha played part-time in his first game back, and that is going to increase until he is a full-time player. 

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The 49ers have been happy with the progress of Ji’Ayir Brown and started him at safety last week, and Marques Sigle is a rookie, so even if he took a step back, he is not going anywhere. Pinnock was always signed as a rental, and of the four, he is the most expendable.

Two things may keep the 49ers from pulling the trigger. First, they are 4-2 themselves, and they are in the middle of the playoff push. They are also the most injured team in the NFL. Yes, they have depth here, but does it make sense to trade away from the only position you feel that you have depth? 

More than that, the 49ers may want to get an actual pick, not just a pick swap. Moving up is nice, but in those parts of the draft, you are mostly sitting on your guy, and only one or two other teams have the same guy in mind. You typically take those small swaps when you want to dump salary or take anything. 

The 49ers are not in that position, and Pinnock has actual value to them at his salary and role. They are not just looking to dump him for the first offer they get. 

Of course, he does not have significant value, but getting an added pick, even if it is Day 3, is better than a pick swap. It is one more shot at a lottery ticket. Or, if the pick they receive nets them another player, or if Pinnock is involved in getting them a player, it would make more sense. As it stands, it is a small loss for San Francisco.