If one was to go down the San Francisco 49ers' wide receiver room, the overwhelming bulk of options would be listed with some sort of injury.
In list format:
- Brandon Aiyuk (ACL, MCL)
- Jauan Jennings (calf)
- Jordan Watkins (ankle)
- Jacob Cowing (hamstring)
- Demarcus Robinson (pending suspension)
Even second-year pro Ricky Pearsall was banged up earlier in training camp but was able to return for the preseason, while Aiyuk isn't expected to return until at least after a full month into the regular season.
Jennings' status, meanwhile, is anyone's guess.
Once healthy, the Niners' receiving corps might end up being pretty good. But no one knows exactly when that'll be.
So, it makes sense hearing general manager John Lynch is on the phone looking to strike a pre-Week 1 deal, and a recent rumor points in that direction.
NFL insider reports 49ers are looking to trade for a wide receiver
With one preseason game left before NFL roster cut-down day, The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported San Francisco was one team in particular looking to trade for a wide receiver, joining both the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets on that front:
The Jets are among several teams monitoring the trade market for potential wide receiver additions, per sources. The 49ers and Vikings are also making calls.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 20, 2025
It makes sense. After all, additional reports had the 49ers going after former Houston Texans wideout John Metchie III, only to be outbid by the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Niners clearly aren't wholly comfortable with their wide receiver room, particularly with all the injuries and shortages, although it's unclear just how critical Lynch and Co. view the situation. Perhaps San Francisco is exploring its options and little else, or perhaps the issue is becoming desperate.
If there's a caveat, the 49ers may opt to wait now until league-wide roster cuts are engineered, which unquestionably would lead to a number of wide receivers becoming suddenly available, potentially those surprise cuts.
Until then, though, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Niners included in any pre-Week 1 trade talks involving a wide receiver.