49ers, Bears Explore Defensive Trades Before Nov. 10 Deadline as Injuries Mount

Q: Will a sudden kicking crisis force the division leaders to make a drastic roster move during their bye week?

Yes — the 49ers look likely to at least seriously explore a kicking change during the bye, though whether they actually cut Eddy Piñeiro is less certain. The urgency is real. Piñeiro’s latest missed extra point in the 29-20 loss at Atlanta was his seventh missed kick in seven games, including four missed PATs. That is the part of his profile most troubling to San Francisco: his field-goal misses have mostly come from long range, but extra-point failures are harder to excuse for a contender expecting close playoff games. Kyle Shanahan did not offer a public endorsement afterward, saying only that the team would discuss the situation, which strongly suggests workouts are on the table. The bye week gives San Francisco the cleanest possible window to act. A new kicker would have extra time to work with the snapper and holder before the next game. That matters for a team still leading its division and trying to stabilize obvious trouble spots without rushing a decision after one loss. Still, a drastic move is not automatic. Piñeiro was excellent last season, which is why the 49ers extended him, and cutting him now would carry a notable dead-cap cost. San Francisco has enough cap room to absorb that hit, but it is still a meaningful price for a team with other roster needs, including pass rush and corner depth. So the most likely outcome is this: the 49ers bring in kickers for a tryout during the bye, and Piñeiro’s job becomes genuinely vulnerable.

Q: Can an unproven rookie permanently steal the spotlight and fix a glaring defensive weakness for a championship contender?

Yes, but it is too early to say Ephesians Prysock has done that yet. San Francisco’s clearest defensive weakness coming out of the Falcons loss was the No. 3 outside corner spot. Jack Jones’ penalties helped extend a key Atlanta touchdown drive, and Kyle Shanahan made an in-game switch to Prysock out of visible frustration. That matters: the move was not scripted, which suggests the staff was willing to test the rookie in a meaningful moment rather than simply protect a veteran. There are reasons to think Prysock can help. He had a strong preseason, including a red-zone breakup, and coaches have praised his size, length and “sticky” coverage. At 6-foot-3 with unusually long arms for the position, he offers traits the 49ers do not otherwise have in that role. On a defense that depends heavily on disruption up front, a longer corner who can survive on the outside has real value. But “permanently” is the key word. One benching of Jones does not settle the job, and one rookie appearance does not prove the weakness is fixed. The larger issue is that San Francisco’s secondary is tied closely to its pass rush, which disappeared against Atlanta. If Nick Bosa returns after the bye and the 49ers add help on the defensive line, any corner’s job becomes easier. So Prysock has a real opening, and perhaps the best chance yet to seize it. But for a contender with Super Bowl ambitions, he still has to show he can handle that role week after week before anyone can say he has truly solved it.

3 articles · Updated · profootballrumors.com · Oct 27

San Francisco and Chicago are actively exploring defensive additions ahead of the Nov. 10 trade deadline, with the 49ers expected to respond after Seattle’s Quenton Nelson move and their own injury-hit loss in Atlanta.
Injuries are driving the search: San Francisco lost rookie Alfred Collins for the season and has played without Nick Bosa, while the Bears remain without Dayo Odeyingbo for at least three more games and safety Coby Bryant.
Khalil Mack and DeForest Buckner are among the names that fit, with Buckner available from Indianapolis and Mack a logical chip for the 0-6 Chargers if Los Angeles decides to sell.
The 49ers enter their bye at 6-1 and profile as buyers around an aging core, while Chicago—after winning the NFC East last year—also appears ready to spend to bolster a defense already ranking ninth in points allowed.