When the 49ers traded DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts for the No. 13 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, thoughts of adding an elite wide receiver to a team that was seven minutes from winning the Super Bowl danced in fans' heads.
However, despite owning both the No. 13 and No. 31 overall picks, the 49ers might not be going on the clock when those slots come up Thursday night when the first round begins. With zero picks in Rounds 2 through 4, the 49ers reportedly are taking calls on both of their first-round picks and are "open" to trading either or both of them, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Trading back always has been a likely possibility for the 49ers. After acquiring the No. 13 pick from the Colts, it has been expected the 49ers would at least try and trade the No. 31 overall pick as a way to pick up a second or a third-round selection.
In NBC Sports Bay Area's latest mock draft, Dalton Johnson and I have the 49ers selecting Alabama wide receiver Jerry Jeudy with the No. 13 overall selection and trading the No. 31 pick to the Colts in exchange for Indy's second and fourth-round picks.
Listen and subscribe to the 49ers Insider Podcast:
While trading out of the No. 13 spot might have some scratching their heads, the 49ers do sit in an advantageous position to make a deal. A number of teams behind the 49ers, including the Denver Broncos, Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles reportedly are interested in trading up to grab one of the top three wide receivers. While the 49ers also need to add a receiver, the current class is one of the deepest in a long time, so they still could grab a quality prospect like Brandon Aiyuk, Laviska Shenault or Denzel Mims later in the first round, or get USC's Michael Pittman or Notre Dame's Chase Claypool on Day 2.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers also are sitting behind the New York Jets and Raiders in the draft. Both teams also are expected to draft a receiver, so it's possible the 49ers believe the guy they have targeted won't be there when they go on the clock at No. 13. With a number of receiver-hungry teams looking to move up -- as well those thirsting after Utah State quarterback Jordan Love -- the 49ers are in a great spot to drive up the price and reload some of their lost draft capital.
[RELATED: 49ers mailbag: NFL draft week could bring plenty of trades]
Trading down from both picks also doesn't mean the 49ers won't go on the clock in the first round.
The 49ers could find a trade partner like the Eagles, who sit at No. 21, willing to swap first-round picks and throw in a Day 2 and Day 3 pick in order to move up. In any scenario, there should be a number of teams clamoring to move up to No. 13, allowing the 49ers to drive up the price and get the best bang for their buck.
Adding draft capital on Day 2 and Day 3 will allow the 49ers to put together a deeper and more complete draft class, which they will be better for in the long run.