There would be high demand if Watson were actually able to force a trade. His no-trade clause means that he would have a lot of say in any potential destination. It's not a stretch to believe that San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan might be intrigued by the possibility of adding a talent like Watson to his offense. Of course, there is no urgency on the part of the 49ers, as they have made it clear they are pleased to move forward with Jimmy Garoppolo.
San Francisco has seemingly been linked to every quarterback rumor. The team reportedly inquired about Matthew Stafford and Carson Wentz, but nothing indicates that it was serious about either. The Detroit Lions received a haul from the Los Angeles Rams for Stafford, and the Philadelphia Eagles sent Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts.
Many believe that trade talks for Watson will begin with three first-rounders. Others feel that a trade won't be considered without a premier young talent being included. There has been speculation that it might take adding a talent like defensive end Nick Bosa to the mix.
Wide receiver Deebo Samuel wasn't too enthusiastic about that prospect, by the way.
RELATED
Simms doesn't feel it will come to that. The analyst can't envision a scenario in which his friend, Shanahan, would be willing to part with Bosa. Simms notes that his comments aren't based on any inside information that he might have in the 49ers coach's thinking. He does feel San Francisco should make a play for Watson, though. Bosa simply shouldn't be part of the discussions.
"I don't think they would give away Nick Bosa," Simms said. "I don't. The defense is formulated around the pass rush. Dee Ford, it doesn't look good that he's going to be able to play. I don't know where he's going to be at. I mean, the injury has to be a concern. He was nonexistent [in 2020].
"Now, you're going to lose Nick Bosa who really — we said this a lot — before the injury, Nick Bosa was one of the best defensive players in football. I don't think Shanahan -- I don't think they would sacrifice that. I don't. I don't. I don't think they would let go of Nick Bosa."
Simms adds that Shanahan is confident that he can make his offense "go" with nearly any quarterback, as long as he stays healthy. However, the defense depends on a strong defensive line, and trading away Bosa might be too significant a loss to overcome.
You can listen to the entire podcast below. The portion about Bosa begins at about the 39:40 mark.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Nick Bosa on early offseason start for 49ers: "We kind of needed it as a team"
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged that while he'd prefer to be preparing for the playoffs, starting the offseason work earlier could prove valuable. With the team's streak of deep playoff runs at an end, the 49ers enter their season finale at 6-10,... -
49ers Notebook: Nick Bosa, Fred Warner reflect on 'embarrassing' defensive season; Joshua Dobbs reveals what he's looking for in a future team; A healthy George is a happy George
And with that, the 2024 season comes to an end... mercifully. For anyone who has been watching the San Francisco 49ers over the past two months, Sunday's 47-24 road loss to the Arizona Cardinals was more of the same -- turnovers, a missed field goal, poor defense, penalties,... -
How PFF graded Kyle Juszczyk, Nick Bosa, other 49ers players vs. Cardinals, plus snap counts
The San Francisco 49ers concluded their season with a 6-11 record following a 47-24 loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18. Pro Football Focus has released its grades and snap counts from the game, shedding light on which 49ers players excelled and which struggled. Below are... -
49ers Notebook: Lack of takeaways leads to head-scratching; Nick Bosa's big night; Shanahan on Joshua Dobbs; Jauan Jennings throws Terrion Arnold out of the club
For a while on Monday night, it looked like the San Francisco 49ers might be on their way to a rare bright spot amid a rough 2024 season, as they were moving the ball at will against the favored Detroit Lions and had worked their way into a 28-21 third-quarter lead. But things...