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NFL free agency: Ranking 49ers’ top 5 targets for 2018

By Aaron Tan

ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 12: Kyle Fuller #23 of the Chicago Bears knocks the ball away from Julio Jones #11 of the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on October 12, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - OCTOBER 12: Kyle Fuller #23 of the Chicago Bears knocks the ball away from Julio Jones #11 of the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on October 12, 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 27: Brandon Coleman #16 of the New Orleans Saints catches a touchdown pass in the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 27, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – NOVEMBER 27: Brandon Coleman #16 of the New Orleans Saints catches a touchdown pass in the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Mercedes-Benz Superdome on November 27, 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images) /

No. 5: Wide Receiver Brandon Coleman

I have been saying for a long time that the 49ers need a big target. In my opinion, San Francisco actually has good receivers, but the problem is that they are all relatively small, contributing to the team’s red-zone struggles this past season.

Saints receiver Brandon Coleman is the opposite of small, coming in at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds. Dug under the depth chart behind Michael Thomas, Brandin Cooks and Ted Ginn for the majority of his career, Coleman hasn’t had his fair share of opportunities, but when he’s on the field, he’s Saints quarterback Drew Brees’ favorite target simply because of the reliability that he brings to the table. I have never seen Coleman drop a ball.

Okay, Coleman is just tall right? Size doesn’t equal production, especially in a Kyle Shanahan offense, where separation from the defense is key. Well, just take a look and watch Coleman play ball down below. He is able to consistently create separation from his defender, which will make him a very reliable option for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Oh yeah, and here’s the other thing. Coleman will be very cheap in the receiver market, unlike the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Allen Robinson, another big free-agent receiver. He isn’t a household name at all, but that is merely because of the great receivers on his team who are starting above him on the depth chart.

Coleman is the closest thing you can get to a low-risk, high-reward deal. Also, this kid is just 25 years old, which will allow Shanahan some time to truly develop him into his own version of the Atlanta Falcons’ Julio Jones.