49ers linked to Jets All-Pro Fred Warner replacement after brutal injury originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The San Francisco 49ers were already a supremely injured team heading into Week 6. Brock Purdy, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, and Nick Bosa are all either injured or have been injured for the 49ers.
But one of the toughest injuries was yet to come. In Week 6’s loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 49ers saw their captain and All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner go down with a brutal injury that ended his season.
With Warner done for the year, and the 49ers still 4-2, they could look to address the position at the trade deadline. For NFL insider Dan Graziano of ESPN, one linebacker sticks out as an intriguing trade target for the 49ers to replace the injured Warner.
49ers linked to Jets All-Pro linebacker to replace Fred Warner
“If the Jets are dealing players, as most people seem to expect they will,” Graziano writes, “could linebacker Quincy Williams (who’s playing on the final year of his contract) make sense for San Francisco?”
Fellow ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler also backed up Graziano’s idea, writing, “Williams has a long history with 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh from their days with the Jets. He became an All-Pro under Saleh. And sitting at 0-6 feels like a unique window for the Jets to acquire assets for the future. So, on paper, it makes sense.”
Williams being dealt to the 49ers makes a lot of sense for everyone involved. The 49ers get a one-year stopgap in the wake of Warner’s injury, the Jets would likely land decent draft capital from the 49ers, and Williams would reunite with Saleh in San Francisco.
More: 49ers could call about trade for 2 NFC edge rushers to replace Nick Bosa after recent rumor
The Jets linebacker is 29 years old and will hit the open market after the 2025 NFL season. While he’s dealing with a shoulder injury, the 49ers would see a big improvement if they could land Williams by the trade deadline.
In 2023, his All-Pro season under Saleh, Williams had 139 tackles, including 15 for a loss. He also added two sacks, 10 passes defended, and two forced fumbles to go with one interception.
The former Jacksonville Jaguars third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft could be a great addition for the 49ers after the Fred Warner injury. A player like Warner is nearly impossible to replace, but Williams would be a good option for the 49ers to try and replace Warner in Saleh’s defense.
The 49ers are 4-2 and should be looking to add at the deadline this season. While an edge rusher to replace the injured Nick Bosa is just as important, adding a linebacker is also a huge need for the 49ers, with Warner done for the year. With less than a month to go until the trade deadline, Williams’ status will be something to monitor as the season progresses.
More 49ers News:
- 49ers GM John Lynch comments on potential trade possibilities amid Nick Bosa’s injury
- ‘Those guys go for it every play’: 49ers’ Fred Warner praises NFC head coach with aggressiveness joke
- Mac Jones’ hot streak puts $265M QB Brock Purdy on the spot, Schefter weighs in
- 49ers-Saints trade prediction swaps 3-time All-Pro DE for third-round draft pick
