Report: 49ers’ Shanahan, fan of rumored trade target Johnson originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
If history is any indication, it’s that the 49ers may have a trade or two in the works before the NFL trade deadline on November 5.
What position will they take and how big will they move? That remains to be seen, but 49ers president of football operations/general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan have a track record of making impactful trades during the season.
One position San Francisco could target is wide receiver after star Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 49ers’ Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
One player he could target is Carolina Panthers receiver Deontae Johnson, whom Shanahan admires, the NFL’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday.
“There are some logical options [for the 49ers]“Deontae Johnson is someone I know Kyle Shanahan likes,” Rapoport said. But looking at the roster and speaking to sources familiar with the situation, I’m not sure they’ll make a trade. Obviously they will explore, but the 49ers really like the receivers on the roster.
Johnson was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to Carolina in the offseason, and in seven games this season, he has 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns in the Panthers’ miserable offense.
The 28-year-old receiver had the best season of his career with Pittsburgh in 2021, recording 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns while earning his only Pro-Bowl nod.
Speaking to local reporters on a conference call on Monday, Shanahan was asked about the 49ers wide receiver injuries and whether this is a situation the team will look to address before next week’s trade deadline.
“It’s not necessarily just trying to address certain situations. Look at what’s available that you think can help your team improve,” Shanahan said. And if there’s anything available that we think can help our team improve immediately, without hurting us in the future, that’s something we always look at.
As Rapoport reported, the 49ers like their internal options at the position, and as Shanahan told reporters Monday, the team expects injured wide receiver Juwan Jennings to return after the team’s Week 9 bye.
San Francisco’s offense will also receive a huge boost if Christian McCaffrey can return to the field for their Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
In the meantime, the 49ers will survey their options on the trade market, which could include Johnson.
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