49ers can pillage Robert Saleh's former employer ahead of trade deadline
The San Francisco 49ers are off to a hot start this season at 5-2 despite countless injuries. The Niners definitely could be in a position to buy ahead of the Nov. 4 trade deadline, and the New York Jets look to be big sellers.
That's right, the organization that fired 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh last season after a rough start as head coach -- a decision they may be regretting after their 0-7 start coupled with Saleh's brilliance as a defensive coordinator this season -- may be selling off some players soon, which could give San Francisco a chance to pillage Gang Green's roster.
According to a report from one NFL insider, the Jets could be looking to trade, "Breece Hall, Quincy Williams, Jermaine Johnson II, Will McDonald IV, Michael Carter II, and Allen Lazard, among others, per sources."
The 49ers could have interest in some of these players, especially edge rushers like Johnson and McDonald. Linebacker Quincy Williams, wide receiver Allen Lazard, and cornerback Michael Carter could make sense as well, given those are all positions where the Niners have suffered injuries.
San Francisco's defense was excellent on Sunday against the Atlanta Falcons as Saleh's group limited Atlanta to just 10 points despite being without linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa for the rest of the regular season. However, the Niners lost edge rusher Bryce Huff for a few weeks after he had a big game.
The 49ers are playing too well to give up on this season especially as they sit atop the NFC West standings. They need to make some moves, and the current state of the Jets creates a golden opportunity.
Williams is currently on injured reserve, but back in 2023, he earned first-team All-Pro honors at linebacker. He would provide a big boost to a linebacker corps still reeling from the loss of Warner even though Tatum Bethune looked solid in his first game as a starter.
Johnson has just one sack on the season in four games, but he had 7.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl back in 2023. McDonald has two sacks on the year and had 10.5 in 2024.
The 49ers have been really banged up at wide receiver as Brandon Aiyuk has missed the entire season as he recovers from his knee injury, and Ricky Pearsall has been out the past few weeks with a knee injury. Lazard had some solid years with the Green Bay Packers, so he could be a potential depth piece for the team.
In sum, the Niners have a great opportunity to improve their roster by adding some pieces from the worst team in the NFL. These defenders played for and had success under Saleh while he was there, so it would make a ton of sense to reunite them in San Francisco.
Jermaine Johnson Makes His Feelings Clear on Jets Trade
There have been a lot of rumors ahead of the NFL trade deadline that New York Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson could be moved.
On Wednesday, October 22, Johnson took to social media to make his stance very clear. He posted a “The Wolf of Wall Street” GIF with the caption, “I’m not leavin’, I’m not leavin’, I’m not [expletive] leavin’!”
An Eyebrow Raising Update From an Insider on Johnson
On October 13, NFL Insider Connor Hughes of SNY revealed that Johnson had “come up” in trade discussions with other teams that needed an edge rusher. A team that was involved in those conversations with the Jets told Hughes that it would “take a lot” to acquire Johnson.
That story has now taken another twist.
“I know that there have been ingoing and outgoing calls from Florham Park about Jermaine Johnson. This hasn’t just been teams calling the Jets; the Jets have also been calling people. I know that Jermaine Johnson is viewed around the league as a player that is available for the right price,” Hughes explained on “Jets Final Drive.”
“I don’t know what the Jets are asking for Jermaine Johnson. The team that I touched base with, who had direct communication and discussions with the Jets, simply told me, ‘too high.’ That is what I was told. They were asking for too much, and it was too high of a pick, and they were not going to go there. A reasonable offer for Jermaine Johnson, I was told, is a third-round pick. You might find a team that is super desperate and goes a two, but again, you’re talking about a player who is a good, not great, pass rusher, good run stuffer, coming off an Achilles injury, and also already had an ankle injury this year,” Hughes added.
Insights From ESPN on Johnson Trade Rumors
ESPN ranked the top 25 players who could be moved at the NFL trade deadline. Johnson was the 10th-ranked player on that list.
ESPN NFL Insider Jeremy Fowler wrote, “The Jets are not desperate to trade Johnson; good edge rushers are hard to find, and his $13.4 million salary for 2026 (a fifth-year option) is reasonable. But my sense after asking around is that New York would be more willing to part with Johnson than Will McDonald IV if it made any move at the position. McDonald is in the third year of his rookie deal, whereas Johnson is in his fourth. And Johnson has garnered a bit of interest thus far.”
“An Achilles injury forced Johnson to miss 15 games in 2024, and he had to sit for three earlier this season with an ankle issue. But when healthy, he has the strength and the lower-body quickness to attack the pocket. Johnson had his best numbers in 2023 (pre-Achilles injury), when he totaled 7.5 sacks and 16 pressures,” ESPN’s Matt Bowen wrote.
For each player that was put on the list, ESPN put a predicted trade percentage chance on who will be dealt. There is a 35% chance that Johnson gets moved ahead of the Tuesday, November 4 deadline.
The Philadelphia Eagles and Chicago Bears were listed as potential team fits for Johnson
