The 49ers didn’t make a blockbuster deal before Tuesday’s 2025 NFL trade deadline — but that doesn’t mean the season is all for naught.

At 49ers practice on Wednesday in Santa Clara, coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters why his team’s inactivity at the deadline isn’t a reflection of San Francisco’s season goals.

“I don’t think it has to do with how we view this year’s team,” Shanahan said. “I think we worked just as hard this year to make a trade that made sense for our team this year and next year — just as hard as we do every year. 

“There are a lot of teams with records of 6-3 or better that didn’t make any big trade. Just because you make a big trade doesn’t always mean it’s a smart move; there’s a lot of risk that goes into it, not just for this year, but throughout your whole future.”

The 49ers, reasonably, didn’t force a trade. 

Acquiring Keion White from the New England Patriots was the only deal San Francisco made near the deadline, and that was a low-risk move done to address the edge-rushing void left by All-Pro Nick Bosa.

“I was excited we were going to be able to make a big run, that we felt real good about last week in getting Keion,” Shanahan said. “I know we looked into a ton of [trades], but the asking price was too much.”

The Faithful might’ve wanted their team to make a bigger splash. Considering the 49ers are 6-3 and in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, it could’ve made sense for San Francisco to seek major upgrades.

But like the nine-year coach said, the 49ers weren’t just evaluating moves for this campaign, as the team had to keep the future in mind; plus, asking prices were high, and San Francisco — despite the abundance of injuries — has been able to win enough thus far.

Another one of San Francisco’s leaders feels the same way as Shanahan: Christian McCaffrey.

The big-time running back shared his thoughts on the 49ers’ inactivity at the deadline with reporters on Wednesday.

“I personally don’t look at that stuff,” McCaffrey said. 

Amid a stellar 2025 NFL season, McCaffrey is focused on the on-field product; he isn’t too concerned about trade chatter.

He also trusts how San Francisco’s decision-makers, presumably Shanahan and president of football operations John Lynch, handled the deadline.

“Those guys, they’re hired for a reason,” McCaffrey said. “They have a job, and they’re obviously really good at it. For me, I just don’t focus on that stuff. 

“The guys that you go out there and play with are the guys you feel confident with. I think everybody on this team can play. I’m fired up about our team and where we’re at. We just got to keep rolling.”

The 49ers have dealt with injuries like no other team over the last few seasons.

However, Shanahan’s players always rise to the occasion and truly have embraced the next-man-up mentality.

McCaffrey, like his coach, is content with going to war every Sunday alongside the guys who already are in the building. So, that’s what the 49ers will keep doing.

“Obviously, losing guys is tough; it’s never easy,” McCaffrey said. “But you see the kind of depth that you have [in] guys who have stepped up and come out here and done a really good job. 

“Once again, I haven’t thought of [the trade deadline] until you asked that question, but it shows me they have confidence in the guys that we have.”

Time will tell if the 49ers regret their inactivity.

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