San Francisco 49ers GM John Lynch just dropped some serious truth bombs on KNBR Friday morning, confirming what we all knew deep down: the trade market is absolutely wild right now, with the deadline barreling down on us. He said their job is to get on the horn with other teams, making and taking calls, just feeling out the whole situation. But then, things got interesting. Real interesting.
Kittle and the Trade Talk Buzz
Lynch got grilled about whether he was chatting with the LA Chargers about Khalil Mack. He just laughed it off, saying, “No, I can’t tell you that. I had a lot of people ask me that yesterday. We seem to be connected to everyone. I don’t know where that comes from.” Classic GM talk, right? But then he hit us with the kicker: “I had a player ask me that yesterday. It’s usually [George] Kittle. He asks about everything, which I love.” Seriously? Kittle is out here doing GM work, checking in on pass rushers! You gotta love the guy’s passion, wanting to make sure his team is locked and loaded. It tells you everything about how serious these trade discussions are getting, even in the locker room.
Mack or the Young Gun?
Now, about those Mack rumors, the buzz isn’t totally out of left field. Mack is an obvious trade candidate for the 49ers, and get this, he himself said the Niners were “this close” to getting him way back in 2018 before the Bears swooped in. This time, it wouldn’t cost them two first-round picks. We’re talking maybe a conditional Day 3 pick, depending on how much salary the Chargers are willing to eat. With the Chargers sitting at a rough 0-5 and Mack being a 35-year-old pending free agent, it makes sense they’d be open to moving him. His $10 million signing bonus is already paid, so the 49ers would be on the hook for a little over $6 million in 2026 salary. But hey, if you’re the 49ers, why not look at a younger option? Mack’s teammate, Tuli Tuipulotu, is on the final year of his rookie deal, a second-rounder from the 2023 Draft. And get this: Tuipulotu has five more pressures than Mack on ten fewer pass-rush snaps, his win rate is five percentage points higher, plus seven more run stops and he’s forced two fumbles! He’s also a solid 266 pounds, so he holds up against the run like a champ. Maybe that ‘lesser-known name’ is actually the smarter play here for the 49ers.
While the NFC West rivals are scrambling to make moves, the Emerald City had its own action on the gridiron this weekend. Our Seahawks were out there battling, but came up just short against the Broncos. Final score: Denver 17, Seattle 14. A tough one for the 12s, but we keep fighting, always.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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