49ers Send a Signal at the Trade Deadline

Only one trade, a lackluster one, was executed by the 49ers at the deadline, which indicates how they view their team.

Oct 16, 2022; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch on the field before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Only one trade was executed by the San Francisco 49ers at the deadline on Tuesday.

It was a lackluster one compared to the ones they've made in the last two years. They acquired defensive tackle Khalil Davis from the Houston Texans. This was a trade predicated solely on depth, which was a need for the 49ers at the position.

Making a "splash" trade is what fans tend to look for. They want a player that moves the needle and Davis isn't that at all. It was a boring trade, to say the least. However, the 49ers sent a signal at the trade deadline with their lone move for depth.

That signal is that there is no big name player out there that can help them. If there was, then they would've pulled the trigger. The 49ers have shown that if there is a deal to be made on a player who can take them over the top, they'll do it. This year they didn't so it signals that they are fine with that they have.

All they needed was defensive line depth due to injuries. Another way to interpret the lack of a "splash" trade is that the 49ers want their current players to step up. If they can get more out of what they have, then they will start ascending back into elite form. One player who needs to step up more is Nick Bosa. He isn't having a bad year at all. He's still impactful and making a difference, but he can and needs to be better.

The same goes for Ji'Ayir Brown. He's been disappointing thus far, but perhaps is solid outing against the Dallas Cowboys will kickstart some momentum for him. That is all the 49ers need. It is for their current players to stop playing below their elite standard and get back into form. Acquiring a prominent player is the lazy and expensive way when they know the players they have now is enough.

Plus, the 49ers are getting healthier. Christian McCaffrey and Jauan Jennings will possibly be back in Week 10 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos is also close to returning. Then there is Dre Greenlaw who is now considered week-to-week. These players alone are the 49ers' "splash" acquisitions.

Combine that with the several players that need to step up and it makes sense why they didn't get crazy at the trade deadline. That is the signal the 49ers sent with one trade that was only for depth. The answers to the current issues are already on the roster. Health and improve play will fix it.

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