The 49ers' wide receiver depth chart is notably thin, and the lack of free-agent attention only serves to make things potentially worse.
San Francisco 49ers fans were treated to quite the trio of wide receivers in recent years, one that was headlined by Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and then Jauan Jennings as a distant-but-notable third.
Entering 2025, Jennings is now the unquestioned No. 1 in the wake of Aiyuk's 2024 ACL and MCL tears, as well as Samuel being traded off to the Washington Commanders.
In response, the Niners inked former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Demarcus Robinson to beef up the depth chart. But Robinson likely faces a suspension to kick off 2025 after a DUI arrest last year, and combined with Aiyuk's likely absencec to begin the upcoming season, signs are pointing to just Jennings and second-year pro Ricky Pearsall as the only notable names atop the receiving depth chart.
It's not great.
San Francisco has been linked by Moe Moton of Bleacher Report to two separate veteran wideouts, first Keenan Allen and then Amari Cooper. While neither pass catcher should be viewed as a bona fide No. 1 option on a roster at this stage of their respective careers, either should be seen as a cost-effective addition and even an upgrade over Robinson.
But, the 49ers haven't gone so far as to reach out to either. Why?
49ers seem content with their wide receiver room (and that's dangerous)
Sure, Jennings is coming off a career-best season when he notched 975 yards, and entering a contract year should provide him plenty of motivation.
Pearsall, meanwhile, showed plenty of flash down the stretch his rookie season, too, and the Niners can still bank on returns of both Aiyuk and Robinson, meaning there won't be anywhere near the pressure to rely on depth wideouts like Jacob Cowing or the two rookies, Jordan Watkins and Junior Bergen.
However, Pearsall is at risk of the looming sophomore slump, which has plagued more than one second-year Niners receiver in the past (remember Dante Pettis?), while Aiyuk might need the balance of 2025 to merely get back to his pre-injury form.
That'd potentially leave Jennings and Robinson before dipping into the fringes of the roster, and all it'd take is one serious injury to deliver a massive blow to San Francisco's pass-catching corps.
It's unclear why neither Allen nor Cooper remain unsigned, but the 49ers would be wise to at least explore adding one of the two veterans as a likable insurance policy.
Otherwise, they may be regretting the inaction.