As the San Francisco 49ers continue to look ahead in their attempt to build a long-term contender, they reportedly have some top stars on the trade block.
Michael Lombardi of The Athletic reported Monday that defensive stars Dee Ford, Kwon Alexander, and Jaquiski Tartt, along with backup wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, are all being made available in trade talks.
That both Ford and Alexander are among those on the trade block is pretty stunning, if Lombardi’s report is true. The 49ers signed both of these players to long-term deals recently, and both of them are highly productive when healthy.
The “when healthy” aspect may be significant, since both Ford and Alexander dealt with injuries last year.
The 49ers are in the middle of the pack in terms of cap space heading into the 2020 NFL Draft, with just over $13 million to spend. They have been one of the most effective teams at managing the cap in recent years, thanks to the magical work of cap expert Paraag Marathe, but they seemingly believe there is more work to be done to keep this trend alive.