2 Tempting Trades the 49ers Must Avoid Making

These trades will only happen if the 49ers force the issue, which is unwise.

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) breaks up a pass intended for Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) in the first quarter during an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, November, 1, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The San Francisco 49ers have all the motivation in the world to make another trade after Week 8.

Most importantly, they have the draft capital for it. However, just because they have the capital, it doesn't mean they should wildly overpay for a player. That said, here are two trades the 49ers must not make a reality.

Brian Thomas Jr.

It's not a bad idea for the 49ers to add a wide receiver, but there isn't a blockbuster one available to make. Yet for some reason, some fans and pundits bring up Brian Thomas Jr. as a savior.

It confuses me because Thomas isn't good. He has 10 catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns this season. He's not the player that he was in his rookie season, when he reeled in 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns.

That player is probably gone. Now, you can say a change of scenery will help him, especially playing for Kyle Shanahan. The issue with that is that he can't even excel playing for Liam Coen, who is one of the best offensive coaches in the NFL.

Not to mention that Trevor Lawrence has been playing really well this year. He's easily been a top-10 quarterback this season. If Thomas isn't thriving, it's because of him.

A fifth-round pick for him would be fine, but it won't get it done. The Jaguars are intent on keeping him, so unless it's a high pick, Thomas is staying put, as he should. Anything higher than a fifth would be an insanely bad trade.

Khalil Mack

The market has changed for Khalil Mack after the Chicago Bears acquired Jeffrey Simmons from the Tennessee Titans for two first-round picks.

Simmons is 29, at the peak of his powers, and is under contract for the foreseeable future. That plunders Mack's value. A first-round pick for him would be an overpay. The 49ers mustn't offer that.

A second-round pick might even be one too. Originally, I advocated for that, but the market has been set, making a first or second round pick trade for Mack an extreme overpay.

The fact that the Chargers have been unwilling to move him or any other player means his cost is driven up further. It's not a good business move at all.

However, you can make the case that it isn't that bad. The 49ers have a poor track record of drafting in the first round, so why not help your chances of a Super Bowl in 2026? At least that'll be more beneficial than most of their first-round selections.

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