Niner Noise
FanSided

Which 49ers legend would you want on the current roster?

By Akshaj Dwivedula

17 Dec 2000: Jerry Rice #80 of the San Francisco 49ers is defended by Jerry Azumah of the Chicago Bears during their game at 3Comm Park in San Francisco, California. San Francisco went on to win 17-0. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn/ALLSPORT
17 Dec 2000: Jerry Rice #80 of the San Francisco 49ers is defended by Jerry Azumah of the Chicago Bears during their game at 3Comm Park in San Francisco, California. San Francisco went on to win 17-0. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn/ALLSPORT /
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3 Dec 2000: Jerry Rice #80 of the San Francisco 49ers runs with the ball during the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The 49ers defeated the Chargers 45-17.Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport /

Wide Receiver: The GOAT

Jerry Rice is, without question, the greatest wide receiver of all time. There is no debate around this. People may say that other players were more explosive, other players were electric, but the consistency and dominance Rice displayed on a weekly basis are mind boggling.

One of the main issues the 49ers dealt with last year was a lack of offensive weapons to intimidate a defense. Shanahan’s play calling did a good job of scheming players open. But apart from George Kittle, the Niners didn’t have that elite weapon.

The best possible example of Shanahan working with a talent like Rice’s, and this is obviously a poor man’s example, would be with wide receiver Julio Jones in Atlanta. Those two seasons, Jones averaged 1,500 yards and seven touchdowns.

Now take that and make the tight end better, freeing up more space, and put Rice in place of Jones. The offense would be unstoppable. I don’t think there would ever be a situation when a person didn’t want Rice in their offense.

The only problem here, just like with Joe Montana, is that the offense may not be the biggest issue with the team. Shanahan’s ability to scheme players open is elite, and it becomes a major offensive weapon of its own. Rice almost seems like a luxury: a player you would love to have but someone you wouldn’t need.

If the Niners could instead reinforce weaker areas on the team, that would probably help 49ers overall.