The San Francisco 49ers have plenty of good wide receivers currently on the roster, but some think they could land another star wide receiver in free agency.
Former NFL general manager Michael Lombardi thinks the Niners would be formidable with Tee Higgins on the team.
Lombardi, who is the current general manager of the University of North Carolina's football program, made these comments on the Pat McAfee Show on ESPN.
The full clip from the show can be watched here.
"You put Tee Higgins on a team like the 49ers, my lord." 👀
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) January 30, 2025
UNC GM Michael Lombardi on where Tee Higgins could "shine" ahead of NFL free agency ✍️ @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/z8kL8CMxNR
McAfee asked Lombardi about Higgins, and he said, "You put Tee Higgins on a team like the 49ers, my lord. You know, he could end up shining because they've got other players around him. Brandon Aiyuk would be even better with someone like Tee."
What would Tee Higgins bring to t?
If the Niners did land Higgins, they truly would have an embarrassment of riches on offense. Higgins had 911 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in just 12 games last season with the Cincinnati Bengals.
If you add a player who is capable of putting up that kind of production to an offense that already has Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, and Jauan Jennings, you cannot help but daydream about how explosive San Francisco's offense could be.
It feels like if the 49ers did add Higgins, they may have to trade another one of their receivers to make room. Samuel seems like a trade candidate, but general manager John Lynch recently threw cold water on the idea of trading Deebo this offseason even after the veteran struggled in 2024.
Higgins could be a unique threat for the 49ers especially in the red zone. Standing at 6-foot-4, he would be the tallest wide receiver on the team. As of right now, Kittle is the team's primary red-zone target given his size. With Higgins' tall frame, he could help the Niners out when they get inside the 20-yard line, which is an area they struggled with in 2024.
San Francisco is already deep at wide receiver, but adding Higgins could be a move that gets the Kyle Shanahan-led offense back to being one of the premier offensive units in the NFL in 2025.
It would take a lot of money to get it done, but it may be worth it to watch how explosive the offense would be.