The 49ers Should Trade a First-Round Pick for a Proven Difference-Maker

The 49ers traded a fourth-round pick for DeForest Buckner this week. That was a good first move.

It should not be the only major move the 49ers make before the trade deadline, as Matt Maiocco thinks it will be. Because it wasn't really a major move. It was a shrewd, cost-effective move for a player who's past his prime. Plus, he might not be on the team next season. He will be a free agent.

And the other contenders aren't done making big-time trades. The Bears just sent two first-round picks to the Titans for Jeffery Simmons, who might be the best defensive tackle in the NFL right now.

In addition, they've been linked to Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack, who probably will get dealt before the deadline. The Bears are all-in for 2026. They're mortgaging their future to win this season, something the 49ers haven't done yet. They're keeping their options open.

Meanwhile, the Seahawks and Vikings seem to be making trade offers for Colts running back Jonathan Taylor, who singlehandedly could tip the balance of power in the NFC if he lands on one of those teams.

And then there's Maxx Crosby, who probably will get traded to a contender if the Raiders lose their next two games, which seems likely. Their opponents will be the Jets and the 49ers.

The 49ers can't just sit back and watch other teams trade for all the best players on the market. They have to be aggressive, too. Because this season is their best opportunity to win a Super Bowl with their current corps of players that happens to be the oldest corps among the legit contenders.

Sure, the 49ers were the best team in the NFL in September and October, but other teams are improving, and they're extremely banged up. Mike Evans has Achilles tendinitis. And if he tears that Achilles, the 49ers, as currently constructed, would be cooked.

Fortunately for the 49ers, they have their first-round picks for 2027 and 2028, and should be eager to trade them for the right player. Because the future doesn't matter. Those picks are expendable. The only thing that matters is winning the Super Bowl this season and not wasting another golden opportunity with an elite roster.

The 49ers aren't good at drafting in the first round anyway. In 10 years, the only first-round picks who have gotten second contracts from the 49ers are Nick Bosa and Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers would have been better off had they traded all their first-round picks from the past decade for proven veterans.

But the 49ers haven't traded a first-round pick for a veteran since Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch joined the organization in 2017. That's the biggest difference between them and the Rams, who have a Super Bowl ring largely because they trade their first-round picks almost every year. They traded two first-round picks for Jalen Ramsey and won the Super Bowl shortly after.

Lynch should be on the phone right now with the Jets, offering two firsts and a fourth for wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Whatever it takes. Get it done.

And if the Jets simply refuse to trade him, the 49ers should call up the Raiders and trade two firsts for Maxx Crosby. He's not a wide receiver, but he still would fill a need and would be better than any pass rusher the 49ers would draft with one of those late first-round picks.

Get serious, 49ers. If you do nothing else and you don't win the Super Bowl, someone should get fired.

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