The 2023 NFL trade deadline has come and gone.
The 49ers surprisingly added another pass-rushing threat, the Minnesota Vikings might have found their Kirk Cousins replacement and the Chicago Bears … well, were the Bears.
Here’s a list of winners and losers from Tuesday’s exciting deadline:
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Winner: Chase Young
The 49ers acquired Young from the Washington Commanders for a 2024 third-round draft pick, reuniting him with former college teammate Nick Bosa on the defensive line.
Young, set to be a free agent this offseason, already was on pace to have a career year with five sacks through seven games. Playing alongside Bosa, Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead in the trenches should free him up for even more sack opportunities.
The 49ers are hoping tripling down on their D-line strength will hide their shaky secondary.
San Francisco 49ers
Loser: Chicago Bears
Just what are the 2-6 Bears doing?
Instead of moving star cornerback Jaylon Johnson after he requested a trade, Bears general manager Ryan Poles sent a second-round draft pick to Washington for Montez Sweat, who will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. That pick currently is slotted at No. 35 overall.
If the Bears don’t re-sign Sweat this offseason, this will go down as one of the worst trade-deadline moves in league history. Even if they do agree to an extension, couldn’t they have waited a few months and not wasted a pick?
Winner and loser: Nick Bosa
The 49ers did not anticipate spending significant draft capital – a third-round pick – to add to their defensive line after making Bosa the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL this summer and signing Javon Hargrave in free agency.
Bosa posted three sacks in his first eight games, a far cry from the 9.5 he racked up through eight games en route to winning the NFL Defensive Player of the Year last season. The advanced stats indicate Bosa still is among the league’s best pass rushers, but he doesn’t get paid $34 million per year to almost sack the quarterback.
On the bright side, Bosa is reunited with Young, his old college teammate at Ohio State. The 49ers’ defensive line should be a force to be reckoned with the rest of the year.
Loser: Ron Rivera
If Tuesday was any indication, “Riverboat Ron” will have plenty of free time after the season.
The Commanders traded Young to the 49ers and Sweat to the Bears, making it clear a new era is coming in new owner Josh Harris’ organization.
They’ve got new ownership, a promising quarterback in Sam Howell and plenty of draft picks. All that’s left to do is rebuild, hire a new coach and bring back the Washington Football Team nickname.
Winner: Josh Dobbs
Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon announced Sunday that Dobbs wasn’t going to start under center in Week 9. The plan was for him to head to the bench in favor of rookie Clayton Tune or Kyler Murray’s return from injured reserve.
Instead, Dobbs is heading north to Minnesota after the Vikings acquired him by swapping sixth- and seventh-round picks to be their potential replacement for the injured Kirk Cousins.
Dobbs now finds himself surrounded by some of the best weapons in the game in Justin Jefferson (when he returns), budding star Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson. And plenty of Creed, courtesy of Cousins’ aux cord.
Loser: Davante Adams
Adams was more accurate throwing his helmet on the sideline than quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo throwing the pigskin in the Las Vegas Raiders’ 26-14 loss to the Detroit Lions on “Monday Night Football.”
Adams, still one of the best receivers in football, was missed several times by Garoppolo and finished the game with one catch for 11 yards. There was speculation after the game if he would request a trade, but that quickly was shut down by ESPN’s Adam Schefter early Tuesday.
“The response that I got back to any potential Davante Adams trade by the deadline today was to quote, “Not a chance in hell,’ ” Schefter said. “So there’s your answer.”
And yes, Garoppolo is under contract for two more years.