49ers free agency: Predicting which free agents Niners re-sign

Offensive guard Laken Tomlinson #75 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Offensive guard Laken Tomlinson #75 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Mohamed Sanu, San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mohamed Sanu (6) Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports /

49ers 2022 NFL free agency predictions: Wide receiver Mohamed Sanu

From purely a production standpoint, it makes little sense for the Niners to re-sign an aging veteran wide receiver like Mohamed Sanu.

True, Sanu looked to be poised for some notable contribution early in the season, essentially earning a No. 3 role behind fellow wideouts Deebo Samuel and Trent Sherfield, paralleling those early weeks in 2021 when Brandon Aiyuk was in Kyle Shanahan’s proverbial doghouse.

But Sanu dealt with injuries over the course of the year, eventually finishing with just 15 catches for 177 yards over eight games played. And by the time he returned, Aiyuk had risen back to prominence, while second-year pro Jauan Jennings secured the No. 3 spot on the depth chart.

Jennings, another exclusive-rights free agent, won’t be going anywhere. This doesn’t make Sanu a strong re-sign candidate, although the 32-year-old veteran’s prowess as a mentor to a primarily young crop of receivers might give him a chance to hang around for at least one more year.

Probably not, though.

Prediction: Not re-signed