After another heartbreak in the Super Bowl last season, the San Francisco 49ers are looking to make another run at raising the Lombardi Trophy. With multiple rumors circulating surrounding the team trading the 2023 All-Pro wide receiver amidst contract negotiations, the 49ers and head coach Kyle Shanahan should look to trade for Jack Conklin.
Adding Conklin to their lineup could be a game-changer for the 49ers, bolstering their offensive line and enhancing their chances for a deep playoff run. Conklin, a two-time Pro Bowl tackle, brings a wealth of experience and elite performance to any team. Known for his strong run-blocking and solid pass protection, Conklin would significantly upgrade the 49ers' offensive line, which is crucial for protecting quarterback Brock Purdy and opening up running lanes for their dynamic backfield.
49ers 2023 performance
During the 2023 season, we saw second-year quarterback Brock Purdy start his first entire season after his UCL surgery, which ended his 2022 season in the NFC Championship game. In 2023, the team only built off their 7-0 run in the regular season after Brock Purdy took his first snap in the NFL.
The season started with a five-game win streak, but it came crashing down after a poor performance by the entire team against the Cleveland Browns in Cleveland. They lost two straight after losing to the Browns, and then they went on to win eight in a row to secure a 12-5 record and the #1 seed in the NFC.
Their first two playoff games were nail-biter, coming down to the last second of the game, including a 24-7 blown lead by the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship game, which sent the 9ers to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years.
The Super Bowl was a back-and-forth game between two of the best teams in the NFL, but costly mistakes and missed calls by the referees ended with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Taylor Swift holding up the Lombardi Trophy.
Get Jack Conklin from Browns
The most enormous hole on this 49ers roster is their offensive line. Sure, they have All-Pro Trent Williams, the best tackler in the NFL. However, he’s not getting any younger, and this entire pre-season, he, too, is holding out due to contract negotiations. Meanwhile, Browns former All-Pro OT Jack Conklin in Cleveland is the perfect candidate for the 49ers. With starting guard Jon Feliciano hitting the IR to start the season, the 49ers should slide RT Colton McKivitz to RG and acquire Conklin.
This trade can work if they send their 2025 6th and 7th-round draft picks (received from the Panthers) to Cleveland. Earlier this offseason, there were talks surrounding a Brandon Aiyuk package that would send him to Cleveland, but that wouldn’t make sense here, and honestly, if Aiyuk were smart, he’d stay in San Francisco.
Conklin would be a great guy for the recently drafted Dominick Puni (Kansas) and Jarrett Kingston (USC) to look up to and learn from. Conklin, the 8th overall selection by the Titans in the 2016 NFL Draft, has been consistently brilliant for Brown, who hasn’t been good yet.
If the 49ers want a shot at their quest for their 6th Super Bowl in franchise history, the most important thing they can do before the season starts is bolter that O-Line. Games are won in the trenches, and if they don’t have the best five guys creating holes or protecting their franchise QB, they won’t make it very far.
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