NFL insiders suggest two 49ers as options Patriots should pursue via trade

The NFL trade deadline is three weeks away, and plenty of trade hypotheticals are floating. Yesterday, we discussed Jason La Canfora suggesting DeForest Buckner or Arik Armstead and Eric Reid in a deal for Jimmy Garoppolo. Today, Mike Sando offers us some ideas for trades the San Francisco 49ers could consider with the New England Patriots.

The Patriots defense is a mess right now, and would be the major hold-up to a potential Super Bowl run. Sando spoke with “NFL Insiders” to consider deals they and other teams might look to make before the deadline, and some 49ers players were mentioned.

Aaron Lynch was the primary name mentioned. The Patriots pass rush has been inconsistent, and Lynch could very well provide a spark for them. He is inconsistent, but those 12.5 sacks his first two seasons don’t strike me as a fluke for his natural talent. One “insider” said Lynch could be worth maybe a sixth rounder, while another “insider” did not see the Patriots going after Lynch because of “character.” That seems to be a catch-all word at this point.

The latter “insider” did say that he could maybe see the Patriots going after someone like Eli Harold or Nate Orchard via trade, or signing Lamarr Houston or Dwight Freeney in free agency.

Lynch will be a free agent after this season. I don’t see the 49ers attempting to re-sign him, but that also means there will be limited value heading into the trade deadline. But if the 49ers could get a sixth or seventh round pick for him, it makes a lot of sense. They are in a rebuilding process, and if they decide he is not worth attempting to re-sign, then why not get anything they possibly could for him?