49ers Get Strong Message Before NFL Trade Deadline
The NFL trade deadline is on November 4, and the San Francisco 49ers are one team that many will have their eyes on, whether they will make a move to bolster their injury-riddled squad, especially on defense.
Nonetheless, San Francisco has already been active in the trade market. On October 28, the 49ers acquired defensive end Keion White. ESPN reported, citing sources, that the New England Patriots received a 2026 sixth-round pick in exchange for White and a 2026 seventh-round pick.
With the 49ers coming off a 34-24 win over the New York Giants on November 2, they are now 6-3 and are in a prime position to make a potential move. Ahead of the deadline, veteran offensive lineman Trent Williams was asked about the 49ers being active at the deadline.
“I’m always hopeful that the front office continues to do what they’ve always done,” Williams said postgame (h/t 95.7 The Game). “It’s about to put us in the best position to be a championship football team. I know [general manager John Lynch] and them will work magic. If not, we got what we have in the locker room. I think that’s another one. Obviously, the front office will continue to do their job.”
49ers Get Good News on Potential Trade Target
As the trade deadline approaches, San Francisco might look to strengthen its defense after losing Nick Bosa. The 49ers have been linked to Trey Hendrickson, with the Cincinnati Bengals reportedly open to offers for the pass rusher, per FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer.
“[The Bengals] did say no originally,” Glazer said on November 2 during an appearance on “FOX NFL Kickoff.” “Then, over the last couple of days, a bunch of GMs said, ‘Hey, you better check this out, because now they’re saying yes to us.’ Whether or not they can get what they’re looking for, I don’t know. But about a week ago, it seemed like a hard no, and now it’s not.”
Can the 49ers Land a Player They’ve Long Had an Interest In?
In September, Tim Kawakami of The Athletic noted that Hendrickson is a good fit for the 49ers and that San Francisco have long shown interest in the veteran pass rusher.
“I just think Trey Hendrickson, for a lot of reasons, fits kind of the now and possibly down the road,” Kawakami said during an appearance on 95.7 The Game. “I’d give up a second-round pick for him. Conditionally, they could change to a first. Maybe that’s a little high. They probably don’t want to give up a first. They do have to keep their draft picks, most of them, because they got guys they need to replace down the road.
“But if you know the 49ers, they’ve always liked Hendrickson. That’s a guy they like. They would have liked him two years ago, three years ago. Cincinnati was not trading him back then. I think Cincinnati would be very motivated to move him at some point this season because I think there he’s not gonna he’s not going to be on their team next season.
“It’s just going to be a matter of when they are going to start talking about a second-round pick, when that’s going to be on the table. It might not be something the 49ers want to do right now. I would do it right now, but I’m a different mindset than they are.”
Stefanski Motives for Sticking With Browns’ Dillon Gabriel Revealed
As the Browns continue to struggle and rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel continues to look less and less like the team’s long-term solution at a position that has dogged the franchise for the better part of this millennium, the accusation has been firmly lodged against coach Kevin Stefanski that his decision to stick with Gabriel has something to do with a personal loyalty to Gabriel and/or a grudge against his fellow rookie,
That’s not just the ravings of downtrodden fans on social media or angry talk-radio hosts. The theory has been put forth by former players and media members as well. When Gabriel struggled badly against the
The gist, as expressed by a gamut of ex-players from LeSean McCoy to Richie Incognito: Gabriel is Stefanski’s “guy” and the coach never wanted to draft Sanders, thus he is refusing to play him because to do so would be a blight on his judgment.
Browns Seeking to Give Dillon Gabriel a Chance
It’s a neat narrative, and there’s some logic there. But for longtime Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, it’s a bit twisted. The reasoning for sticking with Gabriel is not an anti-Sanders agenda, it’s just a desire to give the third-round pick a bit more time before turning to the fifth-rounder.
Asked directly whether Stefanski is, “scared to put Shedeur Sanders on the field because if Sanders succeeded, will it make him look bad?” Cabot replied: “There’s no way that’s the reason Sanders isn’t playing. If Stefanski isn’t playing Sanders, it’s because he wants to see more of Dillon Gabriel, and/or he doesn’t think Sanders is ready yet.”
Dillon Gabriel Has Struggled
There is a strong argument to be made for Sanders, no question. Though he was drafted two rounds after Gabriel, he was also considered, for most of last season at Colorado, to be a first-round talent and arguably the best QB in the draft. His stock cratered, but only after the season–what he did on the field was widely praised.
Gabriel has not showered himself in glory through his four starts. The Browns are 1-3, and he is averaging 117 yards per game with a rating of 78.2. No quarterback could keep his job with those kinds of numbers.
On the flip side, the Browns do not feel that a four-game snippet is fair to Gabriel–it gives him no opportunity to show that he’s grown–and that’s the reason Stefanski is sticking by him.
Browns Patient With Shedeur Sanders
For the Browns, putting Sanders on the field would be throwing him to the wolves. It’s not a good unit in general, and he is still getting up to speed on playing pro-style offense. Even Andrew Berry–Sanders is supposedly his “guy” in all this–acknowledged Sanders would need time.
Writes Cabot: “Remember, Browns GM Andrew Berry stated in August that for Sanders, it’s like going from English to Mandarin in terms of learning pro-style concepts and terminology. Three months is a brief period in which to come up that steep a learning curve. He has made tremendous progress in practice, and the Browns are excited about it.
“I would even venture to say that he’s doing better than expected at this point, largely because of his work ethic and high football acumen. I just think they want to put him in position to succeed, and even 18th-year pro Joe Flacco struggled with this offense. Sanders will play this season when the time is right.”
