4 free-agent wide receivers 49ers can target not named Calvin Ridley
By Peter Panacy
The 49ers may be looking to infuse wide receiver talent this offseason, but making a move for Falcons wideout Calvin Ridley is no longer an option.
Not long ago, we suggested the San Francisco 49ers would be totally interested in trading for Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Calvin Ridley.
Well, times have changed since then. A lot.
Ridley has since been suspended by the NFL for the entirety of the 2022 season as a result for gambling on games during his time away, which was intended to allow him recovery time for his own mental health.
And as ESPN’s Adam Schefter pointed out, Ridley had also garnered a lot of trade interest heading into the offseason, yet the Falcons didn’t want to burn any other teams with the knowledge of what was about to happen:
NFL suspended Falcons WR Calvin Ridley for the 2022 season for betting on games.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 7, 2022
Multiple NFL teams reached out to the Falcons in recent weeks to inquire about trading for Calvin Ridley, and each time, Atlanta declined to enter into any talks out of good faith, knowing the issues in store for their standout wide receiver, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 7, 2022
It’s unclear whether or not the Niners were one of those teams exploring a trade for Ridley. With him out for the year, though, there’s no chance now.
While another trade for a wide receiver to pair with returnees like Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk might be less attractive an option for general manager John Lynch, going after one in NFL free agency could certainly be in the plans.
As soon as San Francisco moves on from quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, it’ll have approximately $20 million in free cap space. The 49ers don’t necessarily need a splash signing, such as the Green Bay Packers’ Davante Adams, rather they should focus on complementary receivers to help bolster the offense.
Here are four free-agent wide receivers they can consider targeting.