Buckner was the cheap fix

Buckner Was the Cheap Fix. The 49ers' Next Trade Could Be an Expensive Mistake.

San Francisco got DeForest Buckner for a fourth-round pick. Chicago just paid two first-rounders for Jeffery Simmons. With NFL trade prices soaring, should John Lynch make another move — or walk away?

The Price of Going All-In

The 49ers may have made one of the smartest moves of the NFL trade deadline.

DeForest Buckner returned to San Francisco for a 2027 fourth-round pick. The 32-year-old defensive tackle already has four sacks in seven games this season and immediately strengthens a pass rush that desperately needed help.

Then Chicago changed the market.

The Bears surrendered first-round picks in 2027 and 2028, plus a fourth-rounder, to acquire Jeffery Simmons and a fifth-round selection from Tennessee.

Simmons is younger and coming off an 11-sack All-Pro season. But the difference in draft compensation is enormous.

And with several contenders still looking for defensive reinforcements, the pressure to overpay could increase.

Three Edge Rushers. Three Different Risks.

San Francisco could still use help on the edge. Three potential trade targets have emerged:

• •Yaya Diaby: A younger option with upside, but his potential availability and asking price remain uncertain.
• •Will McDonald IV: An explosive speed rusher who could add an element San Francisco currently lacks. The Jets have not confirmed he is available.
• •Josh Sweat: The most established option, but potentially the most expensive. Arizona reportedly wants a premium Day 2 draft pick, while Sweat carries a four-year, $76 million contract.

That last name presents an especially difficult decision.

Sweat recorded 12 sacks in 2025 but has only two through seven games this season. Paying a significant draft premium for a veteran whose current production has declined would be a gamble.

Of course, sacks alone don't determine a pass rusher's value. Pressure rates, double-team attention and defensive fit matter.

The NNN Take

The 49ers shouldn't confuse urgency with value.

Buckner already addresses their biggest interior weakness at a relatively modest draft cost. Another edge rusher could make this defense significantly more dangerous, particularly in January.

But there's a difference between strengthening a Super Bowl contender and sacrificing tomorrow's roster for a marginal upgrade today.

If Lynch can acquire a productive edge defender at a reasonable price, he should act.

If the market demands first-round value for second-tier production, San Francisco's smartest deadline move might be knowing when to stop.