What happened: San Francisco has repeatedly used midseason trades under head coach Kyle Shanahan to reshape its roster, starting with its October 2017 acquisition of Jimmy Garoppolo from the New England Patriots for a second-round pick. That deal altered the franchise's offseason plans after Shanahan had been expected to pursue then-Washington Commanders quarterback Kirk Cousins, and San Francisco went unbeaten over its final five games following a 1-10 start.

Why it matters: With Shanahan guiding the 49ers to a 5-0 start in 2026, San Francisco is again evaluating midseason roster additions while expecting injured contributors to return before the postseason. Previous midseason moves paired acquired veterans with core offensive pieces like Deebo Samuel during the franchise's 2019 Super Bowl run and later brought edge rusher Keion White from New England.

What to watch: The 2026 NFL trade deadline arrives on Nov. 10, giving general manager John Lynch and Shanahan three weeks to decide whether to deal from their 2027 draft capital.