49ers roster: 4 better options than acquiring Cowboys WR Amari Cooper
By Peter Panacy
49ers option No. 3: Go low-budget in the NFL free agency market
It’s entirely possible head coach Kyle Shanahan wants to infuse some additional talent at wide receiver this offseason and isn’t quite happy with the way the depth chart is panning out.
If Amari Cooper hits the market, he’ll no doubt cost a lot, and that’s money San Francisco simply can’t afford right now.
Considering the 49ers need more of back-end-of-the-roster type of wide receivers, if anything, it would be smarter for them to explore low-cost options in NFL free agency instead of worry about big-name players like Cooper.
A field-stretching threat could still be in order, kind of a gadget player who can help take advantage of Trey Lance’s strong arm and better ability of throwing balls deep down the field.
Read More: 4 former Niners players San Francisco should bring back in 2022
One example? Former Niners wideout Marquise Goodwin, currently poised to hit the free-agent market after spending last season with the Chicago Bears.
Sure, Goodwin had only one productive year with San Francisco, 2017, but he’s still a deep threat at 31 years old despite his injury history. And even with that a consideration piece, the fact he knows Shanahan’s offense already and wouldn’t be counted upon to be anything more than a situational receiver would almost make him a preferred target for the 49ers over someone like Cooper.