The 49ers acquired a new defensive starter ahead of the 2023 NFL trade deadline this October. But before that, the team had their eyes on star Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II.
San Francisco inquired about Surtain while shopping for a big-name upgrade at either pass rusher or cornerback, ESPN reported at the time.
Bleacher Report is now proposing that the 49ers trade linebacker Dre Greenlaw and the team’s first-round pick for Denver Broncos All-Pro cornerback Patrick Surtain II this offseason.
“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.”
Greenlaw is coming off a 2023 season where he racked up 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 that sent them to the Championship game where they would ultimately shut down the Detroit Lions offense in the second half and score 27 points unanswered as they went on to the Super Bowl.
Greenlaw tallied seven tackles in the comeback Detroit Lions on Sunday.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google! Follow Us
Surtain finished the year with 69 total tackles with one interception for a Denver Broncos team that finished 8-9 and in third place in the AFC West. He is set to make $3.51 million in 2024 in the final year of his 4-year, $20.96 million deal.
