After being hired as the 49ers’ general manager in 2017, John Lynch called a longtime friend to ask if he would join him in the team’s front office.
Martin Mayhew, with whom Lynch played in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ defensive backfield in the mid-1990s, accepted the offer to move to the 49ers’ personnel department. Mayhew was previously GM of the Detroit Lions.
Mayhew, now GM of the Washington Commanders, and Lynch remain close. And their familiarity with each other was a driving force in the 49ers’ ability to acquire defensive end Chase Young in a trade with the Commanders at the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday.
“I think relationships are important in these things,” Lynch said in a conference call with Bay Area reporters Wednesday morning.
Lynch said he made contact about two weeks ago to see if there was a chance Young would be available for a trade. Earlier this year, the Commanders declined to pick up the fifth-year contract option of Young, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
After completing his fourth NFL season, Young is scheduled for unrestricted free agency in March.
At 3-5, the Commanders appeared in position to sell some assets to acquire 2024 draft picks and begin rebuilding under new ownership.
“I estimated the probability that he [Young] would be available,” Lynch said. “And Martin believed there was a good chance it would be in the game. We had been following Chase for some time.
“He kept us updated because we were looking at different things. And he kept coming back and saying this is where it’s at.”
Lynch said he wasn’t entirely sure a deal could be completed before Tuesday’s 1 p.m. PT deadline. He didn’t sleep well because there was a chance the 49ers wouldn’t make the trade.
“This wasn’t something that I went to bed on Monday night knowing we were going to do this deal,” Lynch said.
At around 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the Commanders traded defensive end Montez Sweat to the Chicago Bears for a second-round draft pick. The 49ers had been made aware that Sweat was available.
“Early in my conversations with Martin, it was Chase,” Lynch said. “At some point, Martin said, sweat will be available for the right price. That’s pretty much it.”
Finally, about 90 minutes before the deadline, the 49ers and Commanders completed talks and agreed to the Young trade.
The 49ers sent Washington a “special compensatory pick” that is expected to go near No. 100 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Young was scheduled to arrive in the Bay Area on Wednesday morning to undergo a physical exam. Then the deal becomes official.
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