49ers Trade Pitch Replaces Brandon Aiyuk With No. 1 WR

The 3-4 San Francisco 49ers have three wide receivers and tight end George Kittle (foot) on their Week 8 injury report. Jauan Jennings hasn't practiced this week due to the same hip injury that kept him out of the 49ers' loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.

Deebo Samuel (wrist/illness) and Chris Conley (ankle) were limited at Thursday's practice.

Those injuries are concerning for quarterback Brock Purdy and the offense, as the team lost their No. 1 WR for the season against the Chiefs. Brandon Aiyuk suffered an ACL injury in the 49ers 28-18 loss to the Chiefs.

The 49ers came into the season with expectations of going on a revenge tour to win the Super Bowl in February. San Francisco has watched three AFC contenders make trades for star wide receivers in the last two weeks, and general manager John Lynch should consider adding help in the rapidly deflating market before the Nov. 5 trade deadline to replace Aiyuk.

Chris Licata with AS recently came up with 10 trade ideas that should happen before the trade deadline. Licata suggested that the 49ers could trade with the Carolina Panthers for veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson.

Johnson was traded to the Panthers by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the offseason. With Johnson, the Panthers have a No. 1 WR, as he leads the team in receiving with 357 yards and three touchdowns on 30 receptions.

Johnson is in the final year of his contract, so the Panthers have no reason to keep the 28-year-old pass catcher on a team with a 1-6 record entering Week 8. Carolina needs more picks as they continue their rebuild, which could include finding a permanent replacement for Bryce Young in the 2025 draft.

Per Over the Cap, the 49ers have $54 million in cap space this season, so they'd have plenty of funds to take on Johnson's contract.

Licata thinks the 49ers should offer a 2025 fourth-round pick in return for Johnson and a 2026 sixth-round pick.

The All-Pro would provide Purdy with a reliable target as the team faces an uphill battle to make the playoffs with a challenging schedule in November and December. Johnson has 421 receptions for 4,720 yards and 28 touchdowns in his six-year NFL career.

Johnson made the Pro Bowl for the 2021 season and has appeared in three postseason games with the Steelers.