The rumor mill has been relatively quiet around the league as the Oct. 31 trade deadline approaches, and it doesn’t seem like the 49ers will take a home run swing like they did last year.
Kyle Shanahan, following Sunday’s 31-17 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, said a third straight defeat won’t increase the team’s urgency to improve the roster via trade.
“No, none of this changes anything with the trade deadline — how we played today, or how we played these last three weeks,” Shanahan said.
The Niners have underperformed in their three-game losing streak, with defeats coming to the Bengals, Vikings and Browns.
San Francisco is now entering a bye week with questions that would’ve been unimaginable during their flawless 5-0 start.
Still, Shanahan appears resolute in the group in the locker room.
“When you sit and you watch tape, when it’s out there on the field, and I know how these last two weeks, especially, I felt, but I do believe we have the answers in our building,” Shanahan said. “I believe we have good players. I believe we have good coaches. It’s up to me to get them to do better. I thought we started out pretty good, but there’s some things that we haven’t been able to hide here in these last few weeks. And that’s why we’ve got to continue to push them in every aspect because some people do go on these losing streaks, and they don’t have those answers, and you’re just living in hope.”
Shanahan has reason to be confident in the 49ers team. On paper — and for the first quarter of the schedule — they looked like the most talented roster in the sport.
At last season’s deadline, San Francisco traded for running back Christian McCaffrey, who tied an NFL record by scoring a touchdown in his 17th straight game on Sunday.
If the Niners do add some reinforcements at the deadline, none of them — by definition — will be as difference-making as McCaffrey. But they would have the bye week to learn San Francisco’s schemes and playbook.
Earlier this year, the 49ers acquired Randy Gregory for a late-round pick swap. If they look to continue to add to the defense, secondary depth could be an area to target; Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson is rumored to be available.
But if Shanahan’s remarks are any indication, it doesn’t seem like he’ll be urging John Lynch to make another blockbuster.