The bulk of 2025 revealed the San Francisco 49ers have a serious shortage and deficiency at wide receiver, highlighted by Brandon Aiyuk's season-long absence (and eventual departure) along with second-year pro Ricky Pearsall regularly being in and out of the lineup because of injuries.
Tack on Jauan Jennings as a 2026 free agent, and it's not hard to figure out why landing at least one reliable wideout this offseason is an absolute must.
The Niners' cost-cutting strategy from a year ago might suggest they won't go out and spend big on a free agent or look at trading for another marquee name associated with a hefty contract.
So, in that regard, why would the Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson be a name to watch?
Well, actually, Jefferson could easily be San Francisco's dream trade target for the offseason, should general manager John Lynch and Co. have the gusto to make it happen.
49ers would love nothing more than to trade for Justin Jefferson
Dreams rarely come true. Let's get that out of the way.
But, in Jefferson's case, there's a world where Minnesota wants to move on after an underwhelming 9-8 season and all kinds of uncertainty surrounding quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
The SF Standard's Tim Kawakami, who promoted the idea of the 49ers trading for Jefferson recently, highlighted this point about the Vikings' immediate future:
"So why would the Vikings trade Jefferson — and take a gigantic dead-cap hit? Their timeline is all screwed up by J.J. McCarthy’s slow development at quarterback, which means getting back into contention seems, at best, a few years away. How long does Jefferson want to wait around for decent QB play?
Jefferson hasn’t hinted about wanting to move on, but the idea is bubbling around the league. And the Vikings might need to start hoarding first-round picks to be able to move to the top of a future draft and land their next QB. The best way: Get a few of them for Jefferson and restart the clock.
And if the bidding starts, the 49ers should be ready to toss in their best chips."
As Kawakami also pointed out, the Niners' two losses to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18 and the divisional round fully exposed just how dearly quarterback Brock Purdy missed having an elite separating receiver at his disposal.
It was painfully evident, particularly with Pearsall banged up and then tight end George Kittle suffering a devastating Achilles tear in the Wild Card round.
Assuming San Francisco is significantly healthier next season, albeit with an aging crop of core stars like Kittle, the window to go all-in won't stay open for much longer.
And Jefferson would be that key component, vastly superior to any receiver the 49ers could get at any point during the upcoming NFL Draft this April. Or next, should it take multiple early picks to execute.
As far as the money, Minnesota would own a hefty dead cap for a trade. Plus, the Niners' 2025 financial reset saved them significant cash.
Sure, it'd be difficult to pull off. But Jefferson in the red and gold would be an ideal prize for the offseason, should it happen.