49ers Urged to Flip $86 million Pass Rusher in ‘Home Run’ Trade Proposal
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw made one of the biggest plays of the season, but he could land with a different team in 2024.
Bleacher Report proposed that the 49ers trade Greenlaw and the team’s first round pick for Denver Broncos All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II this offseason. Greenlaw’s $9.63 million salary cap hit merits trade consideration as he enters the final year of his 2-year, $16.4 million deal next season.
“Dealing him would save $6.8 million in cap space,” Bleacher Report staff wrote about Greenlaw. “According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the 49ers tried to pry Surtain away from the Broncos before the trade deadline. Revisiting that idea could be a home-run move for San Francisco.”
“Surtain is entering the fourth year of his rookie deal and wouldn’t eat a ton of 2024 cap space,” Bleacher Report staff continued. “He’s also one of the best young corners in football. This past season, he allowed an opposing passer rating of only 88.2 in coverage.”
For the 49ers, Surtain would boost a secondary that could use improvements. As for Greenlaw, he had a strong regular season with 120 tackles and 1.5 sacks, but his biggest play came with an interception to seal a Divisional Round win over the Green Bay Packers.
Landing Surtain gives the 49ers a corner who has seven interceptions in his first three years as a pro. He tallied 58 or more tackles in each of those seasons.
“Surtain is certainly worth a late first-round pick, and he would pair well with Charvarius Ward on the perimeter,” Bleacher Report staff wrote. “Denver would net a premium pick—one that might be used to help move up for a new quarterback—plus a fantastic linebacker to help bolster its 29th-ranked
defense.”
This trade wouldn’t solve all of the 49ers’ salary cap problems with an estimated $1.36 million in space for 2024 because Surtain will cost significant money. He’s set to make $3.51 million in 2024 in the final year of his 4-year, $20.96 million deal.
