What happened: With the San Francisco 49ers off to a 5-0 start after defeating the defending champion Seattle Seahawks, Yahoo NFL outlined potential trade-deadline fits from struggling clubs to bolster San Francisco's defensive front and receiving corps. Pass-rush candidates include Los Angeles Chargers edge rushers Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu, Washington Commanders defenders Daron Payne and K'Lavon Chaisson, and winless Tennessee Titans edge Jermaine Johnson II. On offense, Chargers wideout Quentin Johnston, Titans receiver Calvin Ridley, and New Orleans Saints tight end Juwan Johnson represent potential perimeter and secondary pass-catching options.

Why it matters: San Francisco holds a draft pick in every round of the 2027 NFL Draft while teams like the 0-5 Titans, 1-4 Saints, Chargers, and Houston Texans face early-season deficits that could push them into selling. Adding a perimeter threat alongside Kyle Juszczyk would help offset receiver injuries while Demarcus Robinson and second-round rookie De'Zhaun Stribling work their way back, after Stribling landed on injured reserve Sept. 19. Contract structures will dictate the price, from Mack's one-year, $18 million deal and Chaisson's $11 million pact to Payne's $16.4 million salary and Tuipulotu's expiring rookie contract.

What to watch: How the Chargers, Commanders, Saints, and Titans perform over the next few weeks will determine which veterans become available before the NFL trade deadline. San Francisco must weigh low-cost expiring contracts against the higher draft compensation required for younger pass rushers like Tuipulotu.