That tells us the Niners were serious about acquiring a cornerback considering the compensation it would’ve taken to get Surtain into the building
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the San Franisco 49ers were prepared to be buyers ahead of the trade deadline on October 31:
The 49ers went looking for big names at the NFL trade deadline, checking on the availability of Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson and then-Commanders defensive end Montez Sweat, among others, sources told ESPN.
The cost of all three players ultimately turned out to be too high for the 49ers, who thought that they wouldn’t be able to make a deal to improve their team with just hours remaining before the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Oct. 31.
The Commanders, however, lowered their asking price for defensive end Chase Youngafter some teams expressed medical concerns about him, according to sources.
Washington initially was seeking second- and fifth-round draft picks in return for Young, according to sources. But when teams expressed concerns about Young’s medicals, the Commanders dropped the price to the 49ers, who wound up sending a compensatory third-round pick to Washington for the former Ohio State star.
The idea of giving up a compensatory pick for Young, a pick the Niners received for Ran Carthon and DeMeco Ryans, made it easy to pull the trigger on a trade for Young. And, as we know, even though Young’s contract is up after this season, him signing a lucrative deal elsewhere would make San Francisco eligible to get back another compensatory pick in return.
The 49ers had to know that Surtain wasn’t going anywhere without a first round pick. Johnson, probably in the second round range, while that’s exactly what Sweat went for.
It’s no surprise that the Niners were on the phone looking at top cornerbacks. It’s the weak link of the team at this point and a spot that’s been magnified during the previous month of games.
You also have to wonder, despite what general manager John Lynch said, if Sweat is who the Niners wanted from Washington. The 49ers are the ideal landing spot for Young, but Sweat is largely considered the superior football player by those outside of D.C.
Sweat has hit the quarterback six times in two weeks with the Bears since the trade and has been a terror. The 49ers are hoping that Young pays similiar dividends.
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