49ers roster: 3 cheap free-agent wide receivers who can still help
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers could still turn to NFL free agency to bolster a questionable wide receiver depth chart, and these three players could make some sense.
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan can’t feel overly confident about his wide receiver depth chart, particularly the names behind the two starters, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel.
The Niners added only one wide receiver in the opening phases of NFL free agency, former Arizona Cardinals pass-catcher Trent Sherfield, then elected not to draft a wide receiver this offseason, breaking an 18-year streak of previously having done so. The only rookie wideout added was the undrafted Austin Watkins out of UAB.
San Francisco brought back veteran wide receiver Mohamed Sanu following his brief three-game stint with the team last year, inked wide receiver Marqise Lee before releasing him just three days later after he reaggravated his knee injury, then grabbed seldom-used wide receiver Bennie Fowler to replace Lee on the depth chart.
Along with returnees like Richie James, Jalen Hurd and River Cracraft, among others, the depth behind Aiyuk and Samuel doesn’t appear to be overly inspiring.
Yet Shanahan and the 49ers may end up turning to NFL free agency again soon, potentially onboarding a cheap player to bolster this group and potentially take the No. 3 spot on the depth chart. With the Niners likely to wait until June 1 to get the maximum out of center Weston Richburg’s retirement, it wouldn’t be shocking to see some free-agent wide receiver brought aboard amid the team’s organized team activities and before the crucial phases of training camp.
And, yes. It would be great if San Francisco could figure out a way to trade for Atlanta Falcons superstar wide receiver Julio Jones.
Instead, these three free agents could be had much easier and a lot cheaper.