It’s unclear whether the San Francisco 49ers’ lack of activity in the trade market is a sign of a quiet trade deadline, or a calm before the storm.
The 49ers may be aiming to bolster a handful of positions at the deadline, but the interior of the defensive line remains perhaps their biggest area of need following defensive tackle Javon Hargrave’s season-ending triceps injury.
Unfortunately for San Francisco, the two biggest names floating around the trade rumor mill aren’t anticipated to be available.
The Athletic’s Diana Russini on Saturday reported neither Indianapolis Colts DT DeForest Buckner nor Denver Broncos DT DJ Jones are expected to be available before Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Both former 49ers would plug into San Francisco’s current defensive line and offer upgrades in run stopping and as pass rushers. The 49ers are working with a rotating cast of replacements for Hargrave, and they’ve now dipped into their practice squad to bring undrafted rookie Evan Anderson into that rotation.
Jones is in the final year of a three-year, $30 million deal he signed with Denver ahead of the 2022 season. The 2017 sixth-round pick of the 49ers has 11.0 sacks and 32 tackles for loss across 100 games in the NFL.
Buckner, a first-round pick in the 2016 draft by the 49ers, is in the first year of a two-year, $46 million extension he signed this offseason. He’s due $23 million guaranteed next year, with no guaranteed money in 2026 before the contract voids in 2027 per Over the Cap.
The 49ers could comfortably fit both players under the salary cap which helps if they want to try and overpay to coax the Broncos or Colts into moving one of their starting defensive tackles.
Russini also confirmed reporting that Patriots DT Davon Godchaux is available. That may be the kind of move the 49ers have to settle for since the big swings for Buckner or Jones don’t appear to be on the table.
