49ers would be smart to extend these 3 players’ contracts ASAP

No. 1: 49ers Wide Receiver Trent Sherfield

There may be some understandable questions about re-signing or extending a player like Jeff Wilson. But there shouldn’t be any when it comes to considering wide receiver Trent Sherfield’s future.

OK, so he was a preseason hero with five receptions for 156 yards and a touchdown in San Francisco’s 2021 exhibition period. And those stats count for exactly nothing, as far as regular-season production is concerned.

More from Niner Noise

• 49ers 2023 NFL Draft tracker: Pick-by-pick news and analysis
• Predicting 49ers NFL Draft picks by looking at final mocks
• DraftKings NFL Draft Promo – Win $150 Guaranteed on Any $5 Bet 
• 2023 NFL Draft: EDGE Byron Young could be impact player for 49ers
• 5 low-key NFL Draft options for 49ers who are flying under the radar

But that’s why an extension now should be done instead of later. Sherfield could easily be had on the cheap for a new two- or three-year deal.

Sherfield, 25 years old, displayed competence with both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance during both training camp and the preseason, and it’s likely Sherfield winds up being the 49ers’ tertiary receiver behind Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel, someone regularly expected to haul in two to three passes per game in key situations.

Those kinds of receivers have value, and it also doesn’t hurt Sherfield has some excellent special teams prowess, too, increasing that value even more.

The Niners could take a “wait and see” approach with Sherfield, using 2021 to evaluate whether or not he’ll justify an extension.

But if Sherfield plays anywhere close to how he looked in camp and the preseason, the price tag will only go much, much higher.