At 1-6, the San Francisco 49ers are most definitely sellers heading into the trade deadline. News broke on Monday that the team is willing to trade offensive tackle Joe Staley (read more here). Then late Monday, Pro Football Talk reported that a Torrey Smith trade with the Philadelphia Eagles was being discussed.
Per multiple sources, 49ers and Eagles have been discussing a trade for WR Torrey Smith. Deal is not currently imminent.
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) October 25, 2016
Given where the 49ers are in the standings, this is certainly not a surprise. The only confusing element of San Francisco’s 1-6 record is how they managed one win.
For Smith, a trade to Philadelphia would send him back closer to his roots. Smith went to high school in Virginia, attended college at Maryland and played with the Baltimore Ravens from 2011-2014. In 2016, he’s caught 13 passes on 32 targets for 199 yards.
For the Eagles, he would be a solid, veteran receiving presence for rookie quarterback Carson Wentz.
Right now, veterans like Smith and Staley are just wasting away on a 49ers team that’s one of the worst in the NFL (contrary to what Aaron Lynch might think). At this point, it makes more sense to acquire draft picks for the future and let the vets go for a ring (another ring, in Smith’s case) with a contender.
Philadelphia sits at 4-2 and is in the midst of the NFC playoff picture.