With the San Francisco 49ers having all sorts of issues at wide receiver, fans have understandably been clamoring for general manager John Lynch to bring in some help. And from what it sounds like, he attempted to do just that, only to lose his target to the Las Vegas Raiders, which is never fun for anyone.
The player in question, of course, is five-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper, who surprisingly went unsigned for the past five months but is now reportedly set for a reunion with the franchise that made him the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft.
According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, several teams attempted to sign the 31-year-old veteran ahead of Tuesday afternoon's deadline to trim rosters down to 53 players, including San Francisco. But Cooper, who split time during the 2024 season between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills, opted to return to the Raiders for a second stint on a one-year deal.
The Raiders are signing free-agent receiver Amari Cooper to a one-year deal, sources tell me and @tashanreed.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 25, 2025
Cooper had interest from multiple teams, including the 49ers, but elects to sign with Las Vegas. pic.twitter.com/VfHmo66Eqy
While Cooper obviously isn't the player he once was during his first run with the Raiders, his stint with the (gulp) Dallas Cowboys, or even his first couple of years in Cleveland, he still has the ability to make plays and certainly would've given the Niners the help they so desperately need right now.
Deebo Samuel, of course, is now with the Washington Commanders. Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from ACL and MCL injuries and is likely to miss at least the first month of the season. Jauan Jennings is dealing with a calf injury, which may or may not be connected to his ongoing contract dispute.
Demarcus Robinson is suspended for the first three games. Jacob Cowing recently suffered a torn hamstring. Rookie Jordan Watkins is currently out with a high-ankle sprain. And Russell Gage is dealing with an MCL sprain.
Yeah, it's been a bit ridiculous.
Second-year stud Ricky Pearsall is thankfully healthy, and quarterback Brock Purdy still has perennial Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle to throw the ball to. But beyond that, things look bleak.
Sure, the Niners recently added Skyy Moore in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, but it's pretty safe to say that fans weren't overly excited for that move. Nevertheless, Moore, who caught exactly zero passes a season ago, may end up starting in Week 1 against the Seattle Seahawks if the 49ers can't figure things out soon.
With Cooper out of the picture, the Niners may still have another option to consider. And it's one that actually still involves the Raiders, as Jakobi Meyers, who's set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, has requested a trade after failing to come to terms on a contract extension.
But one has to wonder if trading for Meyers—if the Raiders are even willing to deal him, that is—would come with the caveat of an extension. Given everything that's gone down with Jennings, one wouldn't think Lynch would want a similar headache.
With hundreds of players set to hit the open market or the waiver wire, the Niners can still find some help. But missing out on Cooper, which could have been avoided had they acted sooner, is still a big blow.