5 San Francisco 49ers players who are candidates to be traded following the 2024 NFL Draft

For the San Francisco 49ers, the pressure to finally deliver a sixth Super Bowl title will be ratcheted up during a 2024 season that is likely to serve as quarterback Brock Purdy's final cheap year.

It is a campaign that may mark San Francisco's last opportunity to truly go all-in and make extremely aggressive moves during the season. Yet, with limited cap space at their disposal (the 49ers are $6.39 million under the cap, per Over The Cap), in-season trades might only be possible if the 49ers make some post-draft decisions to increase their financial flexibility.

As such, trades that create additional cap space could be on the menu for the Niners this offseason, and there are several candidates that stand out following the draft.

RB Elijah Mitchell

The 49ers are fully prepared for the future at running back after trading up to take Isaac Guerendo in the fourth round. It's a future that is unlikely to include Mitchell, entering the final year of his contract after three seasons in which injury has consistently prevented him from reaching the heights of which he is capable of reaching.

This will almost certainly be the final season for Mitchell, who has played in just 27 regular season games across three years in the league.

His injury history may cap Mitchell's trade value, but he was the 49ers' leading rusher in 2021 with 963 yards and, when healthy as an established part of the ground game, has consistently proven effective. Unable to get on the field much last season even when he was available because of Christian McCaffrey's tolerance for a Herculean workload, the 49ers would save $1.055 million by moving on from Mitchell with a dead cap charge of $45,893.

If the 49ers can get a late-round pick in return, it's a deal they would surely accept. Fellow running back Jordan Mason is also a trade possibility. That move would save the 49ers $985,000 against the cap.

WR Jauan Jennings

The 49ers tendered Jennings at the second-round level, indicating how highly they think of him.

Since then, however, the Niners have drafted two wide receivers, including one in the first round in Ricky Pearsall.

General manager John Lynch has previously spoken of a desire to tie Jennings down to a long-term deal. If they cannot do so, then a trade that would prevent the 49ers from paying him $4.89 million this year could be of interest.

The 49ers won't get a second-rounder, but if they could get a high day-three pick or maybe even a late third for a 26-year-old who has proven himself an excellent complementary weapon and was outstanding in the Super Bowl, then they might just be willing to let him go.

TE Cameron Latu

The 49ers didn't take a tight end in the draft, but afterwards Kyle Shanahan refused to name last year's third-round pick as the leader for the TE2 role behind George Kittle, while indicating his unhappiness with Latu apparently not reporting for the start of the offseason workout program.

"He hasn't been out here yet, we like guys to practice first," said Shanahan in the post-draft press conference.

Latu did not play at all last season owing to a knee injury and had struggled catching the ball during training camp. 

Behind Kittle, San Francisco is paying Eric Saubert guaranteed money after signing him as a free agent, a clear sign he will be on the team. Brayden Willis, last year's seventh-round pick, at least has some credit in the bank in having played some offensive and special teams snaps last season.

If the 49ers traded Latu post-June 1, they would save $991,095, though the dead cap charge would be $214,378.

It's likely the Niners at least give Latu a year to prove himself, but the possibility of them cutting bait can't be ruled out. It will depend on how much patience Shanahan has.

OL Nick Zakelj

A 2022 sixth-round pick who has played 51 snaps, with only 12 on offense, his entire career, teams are unlikely to be queuing up to trade for Zakelj.

But, given the logjam the 49ers suddenly have on the interior offensive line, it's difficult to see him making the team, so San Francisco may well explore seeing if they can get a conditional seventh for a player who right now counts as one of their top 51 contracts.

Zakelj can play center and guard but has rarely impressed at either spot in preseason. In the draft, the 49ers used a third-round pick on a player they believe has five-position upside in Dominick Puni and then spent a sixth-rounder on Jarrett Kingston, who they feel has guard-tackle flexibility and has experience playing spring ball at center.

In other words, Zakelj's own versatility is now much less appealing, and the 49ers can save $985,000 against the cap by trading him post-June 1. 

CB Ambry Thomas

The 49ers have made it pretty clear they are no longer willing to put up with Thomas' inconsistency, signing three cornerbacks and drafting another to ensure he will likely be well down the depth chart, if he even makes the team.

San Francisco can save $1.215 million by parting with Thomas. However, his value in any potential trade is capped by the 49ers showing their hand in indicating what they think of him this offseason.

Still, the Niners can point to Thomas' play down the stretch of last season before it all fell apart for him in the playoffs as reason for a cornerback-needy team to trade for a player who is still only 25. If they can convince a team he is worthy of a day-three pick in a trade, that would be the best outcome for both Thomas and the Niners.