Report: 49ers’ Shanahan a fan of rumored trade target Johnson originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
If history is any indicator, it’s that the 49ers might have a deal or two up their sleeves before the NFL’s Nov. 5 trade deadline.
What position will they address and how big of moves will they make? 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 in-season trades.
One position San Francisco could target is wide receiver after star wideout Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 49ers’ Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
And one player they could target is Carolina Panthers receiver Diontae Johnson, who Shanahan is a fan of, NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday.
“There are some options that make sense [for the 49ers],” Rapoport said. “Diontae Johnson is someone who I know Kyle Shanahan likes. But looking at the roster and talking to sources informed of the situation, I’m not so sure they make a trade. Obviously, they are going to explore, but the 49ers really like the receivers they have on the roster.”
Johnson was traded from the Pittsburgh Steelers to Carolina in the offseason, and in seven games this season, has 30 receptions for 357 yards and three touchdowns in a miserable Panthers offense.
The 28-year-old receiver had the best season of his career with Pittsburgh in 2021, where he recorded 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns while earning his one and only Pro-Bowl nod.
In speaking to local reporters on a conference call on Monday, Shanahan was asked about the 49ers’ injuries at wide receiver and if that is a position the team will look to address before next week’s trade deadline.
“It’s not necessarily just try to address certain positions. You look at what’s available that you think can help your team get better,” Shanahan said. “And if there’s anything out there that’s available that we think can help our team get better in the immediate, without hurting us for the future, that’s something we always look into.”
As Rapoport reported, the 49ers do like their internal options at the position, and as Shanahan told reporters on Monday, the team does anticipate injured wideout Jauan Jennings returning after the team’s Week 9 bye.
San Francisco’s offense also will receive a massive boost if pass-catching running back Christian McCaffrey can return to the field for the Week 10 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccanneers.
In the meantime, the 49ers will survey their options on the trade market, which could include Johnson.
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