TE George Kittle, WR Deebo Samuel, WR Brandon Aiyuk, Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images
Carolina Panthers receive: 2025 fourth-round pick, 2025 fifth-round pick, 2026 fourth-round pick
San Francisco 49ers receive: WR Diontae Johnson
The San Francisco 49ers have been decimated by injuries, and as a result their chances of making a third trip to the Super Bowl in six years have declined. Their receiving corps has been hit especially hard, as San Francisco is still reeling from the loss of No. 1 wideout Brandon Aiyuk for the year to a torn ACL. Deebo Samuel, Juwan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall have all missed time as well, while star Christian McCaffrey has yet to play this season.
Despite a rash of injuries, San Francisco has managed to claw its way to a .500 record heading into Week 9. It’s not too late for the Niners to turn things around and go on a deep playoff run, but they may need some extra help.
Acquiring Johnson would give San Francisco the high-end pass catcher it needs to find some consistency and start stringing together wins for the first time in 2024.
Quarterback Brock Purdy has been struggling without his reliable supporting cast. The third-year signal-caller has regressed significantly from last season, when he emerged as one of the league’s top MVP candidates.
Purdy completed 69.4 percent of his throws for 4,280 yards and 31 touchdowns to 11 interceptions in 2023. This year, his completion percentage is down nearly five points, and he’s on track for 21 touchdowns and just 15 interceptions after a polarizing start.
The Niners need more firepower to bolster their signal-callers, and Johnson should be at the top of their list now. He may not be considered one of the best players in the league, but he has the talent to reach that level in the right system and should come at a reasonable cost.
San Francisco’s offense under Kyle Shanahan may be able to unleash Johnson’s full potential. He could put up career-best numbers if the Niners choose to trade him.
