Trade Deadline/Bye Week Thoughts…
The trade deadline, as well as the bye week for the 49ers is here. Currently, the niners are sitting at 5-3 after starting off the season 5-0. As I said in the first Warriors post, TIME TO FREAK OUT!!!!! However, this time that phrase seems a little more valid. It seems as if nothing has gone remotely close to good the past three weeks. From missing the game winning field goal against the Browns, and getting pretty handled against the Vikings and Bengals the two weeks following. As a fan, I’m getting a little nervous about the games after the bye week. With Jacksonville on the schedule right off the rip after the week off, the team has some rethinking to do.
First off, the bye week came at the right time. The momentum totally fell off the face of the planet, so there’s no progress and/or feeling that is lost. What is gained is rest, new trade deadline acquisitions, and some major thinking about what needs to change, who needs to change, etc. Injuries have damn near plagued this team since the dawn of time, and this season is no different. Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel has been injured and not playing since midway through the 17-19 loss to the Browns, and Trent Williams hasn’t played in either the Vikings or Bengals losses. These are 2 major offensive weapons to this team, and no doubt a reason as to why the offense has been on the struggle bus lately.
The defense is a whole different story. From one of the best defenses in the league to what is looking like one of the worst in the league. I really don’t think this defensive slide can be pinned on just one person. I’ve been hearing a lot of blaming Steve Wilkis, the defensive coordinator. While yes, I do think he isn’t doing spectacular, its not just his fault. The defense just doesn’t have the heart it once did. It seems like the only one that wants to play and get better is the team hype man Fred Warner. Bosa has a grand total of three sacks on the year. That’s the guy who should have close to 13 at this point. The defensive line is getting manhandled, the cornerbacks aren’t cornerbacking, I could go on and on. Struggles are never pinned on just one person, I look at it more as a domino effect, or chain, and ultimately, Wilkis is that fall guy. If the players can’t do their jobs, obviously the calls from the booth aren’t going to look very great.
Brock Purdy is another controversial topic. Oh He CaN’t PeRfOrM wItHoUt ThE AvEnGeRs iN hIs LiNeUp. While he does have great weapons in his system, he’s still a phenomenal quarterback with amazing potential. People are forgetting he started his career 10-0 with incredible efficiency. Every quarterback has bad games, and it just so happens that Purdy’s only bad games have come directly after the previous one. Tom Brady had his fair share of bad games, super bowl losses, multiple interception games and flat out bad efficiency games, and he’s still the greatest quarterback to ever touch the field. While I am in no way shape or form directly comparing Purdy to Brady, not many people gave up on Brady after he had 3 bad games, so it’s not fair to give up or make fun of Purdy for the only 3 bad games of his career.
And now for the trade deadline, or what I like to call the equivalent to the movie Oceans 11, a straight up robbery. The 49ers traded a 2024 3rd round pick for the 2nd round pick on the 2020 draft, Chase Young. Once again, a robbery in broad daylight. Young is one of the top Edges in the league, and is going to help bolster the niners defense in a massive way. With even more weapons on the defense, it’s going to be fun to watch what they can accomplish. I do think they should’ve also went after a secondary, however it’s hard to be mad at this trade considering what we gave up, or lack thereof.
The second half of the season starts on November 12th with a duel against the scorching hot Jaguars. With new pickups at the deadline, key players getting healthy through the bye, and hopefully a new energy, it could be a fun second half. Then again, it could be pretty abysmal. Only time will tell. Happy Halloween folks, stay safe and spooky.
