Niner Noise
FanSided

3 CFL free agents 49ers should consider signing in 2020

By Nathan Bannerman

Offensive lineman Derek Dennis #63 of the Calgary Stampeders. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images)
Offensive lineman Derek Dennis #63 of the Calgary Stampeders. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 4
Next
Roughriders Emmanuel Arceneaux
Wide receiver Emmanuel Arceneaux #84 of the Saskatchewan Roughriders. (Photo by Brent Just/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Another big wide receiver free agent on the market is Emmanuel Arceneaux. His CFL resume proves he deserves one more shot south of the border.

If you were the general manager of a football team and you didn’t think Emmanuel Arceneaux would amount to anything, how would you feel now?

After three attempts to crack an NFL roster, “The Manny Show” took his talents to the West Coast. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to the Bay Area, but Vancouver, B.C. In one of the most gorgeous cities in all of Canada, Arceneaux amassed 8,169 yards, 55 touchdowns in 130 games.

The former B.C. Lions superstar is a big-body receiver with loads of pizzaz. Arceneaux comes in at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds. If he was on the roster now, he’d be taller than eight guys including Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders, who are both charted at 5-foot-11.

There are some challenges Arceneaux would face if he were to be invited to a training camp. He’s not young. The 32-year-old has eight years of action under his belt but was limited to only nine games in 2018 due to an ACL injury. The injury allowed the Lions to not re-sign the lengthy star, and he signed in Saskatchewan with the Roughriders.

In his one season with the Riders, Arceneaux played in 11 games, catching 22 passes for 249 yards and only had two touchdowns. It’s a small blemish on such a fantastic resume.

During the 2010 campaign, Arceneaux recorded his first 1,000-yard season, received five touchdowns and averaged 16 yards per catch. Later in his career, he would go on an unprecedented tear of the CFL. From 2015 through 2017, he topped the 1,000-yard plateau each time. In 2016, he had a career high with 13 touchdowns.

Back in August of 2014, Arceneaux utilized his size and speed on a tired defense. He was able to get behind the linebackers and with his body, was able to fend off two defensive backs and took off down the field for a 53-yard score.

Arceneaux would bring a different dimension to the 49ers offense. He’s tall and lengthy, has tremendous body control, great hands and can still rumble down the field.