49ers 5 biggest needs after first wave of NFL free agency
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: 49ers need a No. 3 wide receiver
The Niners have no need to find a true WR1 or WR2 candidate. They have them both already in Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, both of whom need to stay healthy this upcoming season to fully complement each other.
Yet San Francisco already lost its No. 3 wide receiver to NFL free agency, Kendrick Bourne, who joined the New England Patriots after being a reliable third-down and red-zone weapon for head coach Kyle Shanahan since joining the league as an undrafted free agent back in 2017.
Behind Aiyuk and Samuel, the 49ers’ wide receiver depth is questionable at best.
Along with Bourne, slot receiver Trent Taylor is expected to depart via free agency. Richie James is a possible candidate, but his inconsistency and lack of use don’t necessarily mean he factors largely into Shanahan’s future plans.
Meanwhile, third-year pro Jalen Hurd has missed the last two years with serious injuries, while last year’s rookie, Jauan Jennings, remains a work in progress.
Luckily, both in terms of need and financial impact, this year’s NFL Draft is arguably deeper and more talented at wide receiver than last year’s excellent class. Shanahan and the Niners would be more than wise to dip into that pool to bulk up their receiving depth chart this offseason, hopefully turning at least one of those rookie targets into a solid No. 3 option on the roster in 2021 and beyond.