The San Francisco 49ers are heading into their Week 8 contest against the Dallas Cowboys with a shorthanded roster. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 7. Defensive tackle Jason Hargrave will miss months with a torn triceps, though the team hopes he can return for the playoffs.
The 49ers aren’t certain of making the playoffs, as they have a 3-4 record before playing the 3-3 Cowboys on Sunday night. The game’s result could determine if the 49ers are buyers or sellers at the trade deadline, as San Francisco has a challenging spate of games coming up in the next month and a half. The New England Patriots are decidedly sellers at this point in the season.
They have a 1-6 record entering Sunday’s matchup with the New York Jets.
The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported Saturday morning that the Patriots have two players that the 49ers could be interested in if they decide to be buyers at the trade deadline.
New England appears ready to shop Kendrick Bourne and Davon Godchaux. “[Michael Silver reported Thursday that Shanahan and general manager John Lynch will seek reinforcements via the trade market, most notably at defensive tackle and wide receiver,” Russini wrote. “I’ve been told to keep an eye on the Patriots – who will listen to any proposal – with run-stuffing interior defensive lineman Davon Godchaux and ex-Niners wide receiver Kendrick Bourne among the possible targets.”
Russini added that she doesn’t believe the Indianapolis Colts would part with DeForest Buckner or that the Denver Broncos would trade D.J. Jones–both former defensive tackles with the 49ers.
The 49ers will have their bye in Week 9, meaning San Francisco will have to decide what their plans are for the Nov. 5 deadline with a record of either 3-5 or 4-4, depending on the outcome of Sunday night’s game at Levi’s Stadium.
Off the bye, the 49ers will play the 4-3 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 4-3 Seattle Seahawks, 5-2 Green Bay Packers, 5-2 Buffalo Bills and 4-2 Chicago Bears by Dec. 8.
