With Brandon Aiyuk out for a year after tearing his ACL, MCL and meniscus, the San Francisco 49ers are a possible buyer in the wide receiver market.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked on Monday whether the team would address the wide receiver at the deadline given the team’s injuries:

“It’s not necessarily an attempt to address certain points of view. You look at what is available and what you think can help your team improve. And if there’s something out there that we think can help our team get better in the short term, without hurting us for the future, then that’s something we always look at.”

Ricky Pearsall has shown promise in his two games, and the 49ers spent a fourth-round pick on Jacob Cowing, with Jauan Jennings returning to the fold after the bye week. The 49ers lack a proven “X” receiver who can create separation against man coverage.

The Carolina Panthers are looking to be sellers at the trade deadline and are 1-7. Joe Person of The Athletic named five players the Panthers could likely move and mentioned Diontae Johnson as a trade piece with the 49ers as the destination.

“It feels like it will be a matter of when, not if, Morgan will leave behind the player he just traded for in March. The Panthers acquired Johnson from Pittsburgh, knowing he was a crafty receiver who could break away from coverage but wasn’t afraid to sound off when he felt like he wasn’t getting enough balls thrown his way. The Panthers opted not to extend Johnson before the final year of his deal, so there was always a chance Johnson would be hired. Johnson has at times looked like he could be a No. 1 receiver worthy of a big contract, namely his two-game stint with 15 receptions on 27 targets during Andy Dalton’s first two starts.

Johnson is visibly frustrated with his role in the offense, but Dalton’s emergence as a starter has shown how valuable he can be.

Kyle’s update, 11:08 a.m. PT: Diontae Johnson has been traded to the Baltimore Ravens in a pick swap. Baltimore gets Carolina’s fifth-rounder in exchange for their sixth-rounder in 2025.

Persoon added: “After Johnson was ruled out of the Denver game following a second consecutive week of no practice, the feeling around the league is that Johnson’s time in Charlotte will soon come to an end. The Panthers should be able to land a fifth-round pick for Johnson from a team like Tampa Bay, San Francisco, Washington or an AFC candidate like Los Angeles or Houston, where Stefon Diggs left on Sunday with a potentially serious knee injury. ”

A fifth-round pick is small for a receiver who can separate and could easily thrive in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Overall, the 49ers struck gold in the fifth round, but hiring a proven separator at the position is an easy decision.