5 questions SF 49ers must answer before 2021 NFL Draft
By Peter Panacy
The 2021 NFL Draft is awfully important to the SF 49ers, especially this offseason, yet the team still must answer some key questions beforehand.
Between 2017 and 2019, the SF 49ers largely used the NFL Draft as a means to land some cornerstone pieces in an attempt to build what became a Super Bowl-caliber roster.
A year removed from the team’s first Super Bowl appearance under the guidance of general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan, the Niners are entering some uncharted territory after finishing 2020 with a disappointing 6-10 record and last-place finish in the NFC West.
If there’s some good news, San Francisco boasts the most salary cap space ($9.54 million), according to Over the Cap, of all the teams within its division. But a shrinking salary cap, which could drop as low as $175 million, and nearly 40 pending free agents of one variety or another means Lynch and Shanahan will have some tough choices to make between now and when Round 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft kicks off in late April.
Let’s take a look at five specific questions the SF 49ers will have to answer before draft day.
No. 5: Are the SF 49ers comfortable with their wide receiver depth?
The Niners have two young up-and-coming wideouts on their roster, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, who’ll essentially assume the WR1 and WR2 roles on Shanahan’s offense next season.
But behind those two, it’s an awfully deep crop of unknowns. Four-year pro Kendrick Bourne is a free agent. And while the San Jose Mercury News‘ Cam Inman reported Bourne is chatting a potential new deal with San Francisco, it’s hardly a guarantee he returns.
Especially if he’s looking for big offseason money.
If the SF 49ers retain this entire trio, the depth behind those three is shaky at best. 2020 rookie wideout Jauan Jennings spent all of his first year on the practice squad, while slot receiver Trent Taylor is a free agent, leaving essentially only Richie James as the remaining depth commodity with any sort of reliable pedigree.
Plus, both Aiyuk and Samuel dealt with some notable injuries over the course of last season, too.
The 2021 draft is laden with some top-quality wide receivers, so the Niners have to ask themselves whether or not investing in a name early would be a wise choice.
It might be regardless how they feel about the current depth chart.