49ers’ 2018 ‘Who Is?’ series: Wide Receiver Pierre Garçon
By Peter Panacy
Niner Noise’s 2018 “Who Is?” series on San Francisco 49ers players this season stays on the offensive side of the ball, breaking down veteran wide receiver Pierre Garçon.
Just think, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Pierre Garçon was on pace to hit 1,000 receiving yards last season without Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback.
Garçon, of course, suffered a season-ending neck injury exactly halfway through 2017, and Garoppolo didn’t start until four weeks later. Meanwhile, Garçon’s 500 receiving yards last year were at the hands of ineffective quarterbacks Brian Hoyer and C.J. Beathard.
Imagine what Garçon can be this year if he stays healthy.
Garçon’s resume is already pretty impressive. And while he’ll turn 32 years old before the regular season begins, there’s ample evidence he’ll pick up where he left off a year ago.
| Game | Game | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | Rece | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Age | Tm | Pos | No. | G | GS | Tgt | Rec | Yds | Y/R | TD | R/G | Y/G | Ctch% | Fmb |
| 2008 | 22 | IND | 85 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 23 | 5.8 | 0 | 0.3 | 1.6 | 100.0% | 0 | |
| 2009 | 23 | IND | WR | 85 | 14 | 13 | 92 | 47 | 765 | 16.3 | 4 | 3.4 | 54.6 | 51.1% | 1 |
| 2010 | 24 | IND | WR | 85 | 14 | 14 | 119 | 67 | 784 | 11.7 | 6 | 4.8 | 56.0 | 56.3% | 0 |
| 2011 | 25 | IND | WR | 85 | 16 | 16 | 134 | 70 | 947 | 13.5 | 6 | 4.4 | 59.2 | 52.2% | 2 |
| 2012 | 26 | WAS | WR | 88 | 10 | 10 | 68 | 44 | 633 | 14.4 | 4 | 4.4 | 63.3 | 64.7% | 0 |
| 2013 | 27 | WAS | WR | 88 | 16 | 16 | 181 | 113 | 1346 | 11.9 | 5 | 7.1 | 84.1 | 62.4% | 1 |
| 2014 | 28 | WAS | WR | 88 | 16 | 14 | 105 | 68 | 752 | 11.1 | 3 | 4.3 | 47.0 | 64.8% | 0 |
| 2015 | 29 | WAS | WR | 88 | 16 | 16 | 111 | 72 | 777 | 10.8 | 6 | 4.5 | 48.6 | 64.9% | 0 |
| 2016 | 30 | WAS | WR | 88 | 16 | 16 | 114 | 79 | 1041 | 13.2 | 3 | 4.9 | 65.1 | 69.3% | 0 |
| 2017 | 31 | SFO | WR | 15 | 8 | 8 | 67 | 40 | 500 | 12.5 | 0 | 5.0 | 62.5 | 59.7% | 0 |
| Care | Care | 140 | 123 | 995 | 604 | 7568 | 12.5 | 37 | 4.3 | 54.1 | 4 | ||||
| 5 yr | 5 yr | WAS | 74 | 72 | 579 | 376 | 4549 | 12.1 | 21 | 5.1 | 61.5 | 1 | |||
| 4 yr | 4 yr | IND | 58 | 43 | 349 | 188 | 2519 | 13.4 | 16 | 3.2 | 43.4 | 3 | |||
| 1 yr | 1 yr | SFO | 8 | 8 | 67 | 40 | 500 | 12.5 | 0 | 5.0 | 62.5 | 0 |
Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/25/2018.
Now entering his fourth year working within head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense, Garçon figures to regain his hold on the No. 1 wide receiver spot.
And San Francisco’s offense should only benefit from it.
So what should we expect from the tough, physical veteran this season?
Why Pierre Garçon Improves in 2018
The majority of Niners receivers heading into 2018 are on the shorter side, meaning the 6-foot-0, 211-pound Garçon still has an edge, physically.
That physicality went a long way last season. Garçon regularly showed his toughness on the field, winning contested catches and making acrobatic grabs all too frequently.
Anyone who witnessed his efforts in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Rams last year can back that up:
As long as he can stay healthy, Garçon should be much more a force with Garoppolo under center.
True, an improved receiver crop will likely take away some targets Garçon would otherwise receive. But his ability to grab the attention of opponents’ top defensive backs should free up other receivers too, making the 49ers offense all the more potent.
And that doesn’t mean Garçon won’t get his fair share of touches either. He figures to be equally as important piece within Shanahan’s offense.
Why He Regresses
Well, there is the age thing. Garçon is on the wrong side of 30 years old. And while we’ve seen plenty of receivers perform well beyond that watermark year, it’s equally possible Garçon starts to slow down this season.
But what other reasons might we see Garçon dip in production?
San Francisco 49ers
Numbers-wise, the 49ers are going to want to incorporate their second-round pick from the 2018 NFL Draft, Washington’s Dante Pettis, who is easily one of the better route runners from the college ranks a year ago.
Pettis likely won’t take Garçon’s starting job right away, and the competition could be a good thing for both parties. Yet the Niners are surely playing the long game with their roster. While Garçon is technically signed through 2021, San Francisco holds option years for the final three years of his five-year deal.
That means the 49ers could look to part ways with the veteran after this season, putting more of the focus on Pettis’ development.
What to Expect with the 49ers in 2018
As stated, the Niners aren’t likely to press Pettis into a starter role right away. He’ll have to earn it first, and Shanahan is probably going to give first looks to Garçon anyway.
That’s a good thing, especially if San Francisco wants to get off to a strong start this season, possibly contending for a playoff berth in 2018. Garçon’s experience should go a long way and only serve to help the rest of the offense.
But as the year moves along, look for Pettis to be more of a factor. This may ultimately take snaps and looks away from Garçon, who’ll possibly be pushed into a more situational role in the second half of 2018.
It’s not bad, per se. Keeping Garçon fresh and healthy for a possible playoff push is a good idea. Savvy veterans are always of value in this context, and Garçon wouldn’t be an exception.
Next: 49ers' 2018 positional preview: Wide receiver
He may not reach 1,000 receiving yards this season. But getting close wouldn’t be out of the question. And one should look to Garçon to be a key playmaker early on for the 49ers in 2018.