The 49ers (1-6) are officially a dumpster fire and that means they could start trading away their assets.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio is reporting the 49ers are open to trading left tackle Joe Staley.
As much as the 49ers will miss Staley’s stellar play and leadership voice, there is an argument for GM Trent Baalke to deal him now. As Florio points out, the 32-year-old’s salary escalates from $5.4 million to $8.25.
Real quick: I would be against this trade unless it’s a first-round pick, and even then, I’m hesitant.
If the 49ers are planning on drafting a quarterback with their top five pick, he’s going to get body slammed in the pocket next season without Staley’s presence. You gain an extra draft pick, but give yourself absolutely no room for error on the offensive line.
One wrong move in free agency, or a busted draft pick at left tackle, will delay the development of someone like Deshaun Watson. Staley has a few good years left, and $8.25 million, is not an extraordinary cost for a team with cap room. This offensive line has been respectable this season, perhaps the only unit on the same that can say that.
If Staley is traded, Trent Brown would slide over for the rest of the season from right tackle. But is the seventh-round pick really a long term solution at the position? Sometimes extra picks are not worth the risk, and I’m very cautious about the ramifications of losing Staley. The 49ers are playing with fire here.
I realize Staley is the 49ers’ only asset, and this is a team that should have its on the future. But the left tackle position is a slippery slope to be messing with. It impacts the quarterback and the running game so much.
And we could look at an offensive line in 2017 who is still plagued by Trent Baalke even though he’s no longer in the building.