3 former 49ers free agents who should not return despite Deebo Samuel injury

The 49ers may need some wide receiver help in the wake of Deebo Samuel's injury, but these three former Niners should be avoided at all costs.

The San Francisco 49ers are going to be without star wide receiver Deebo Samuel for at least a couple of weeks as he recovers from a calf strain suffered during the Niners' Week 2 road loss at the Minnesota Vikings.

It's not ideal, especially considering fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk has yet to live up to the lofty contract extension handed to him just before the regular season began. Couple that with All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey (calf, Achilles) being placed on injured reserve, and San Francisco's injury situation is looking more and more desperate.

Desperate times can call for desperate measures, and it wouldn't be surprising to see general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan dip into the free-agent pool for a receiver if Samuel ends up missing an extended period of time.

A number of former 49ers who have familiarity with Shanahan's offense are available on the market, yet.

But, these three in particular aren't exactly go-to options and should be avoided no matter what.

No. 1: Dante Pettis

Remember him?

Yes, wide receiver Dante Pettis is still very much available after not playing in 2023, following unimpressive stints with both the New York Giants and Chicago Bears.

The Niners' 2018 second-round NFL Draft choice had some promising moments late his rookie season but quickly flamed out with Shanahan a year later, including becoming a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl that season.

Released from San Francisco in 2020, a fresh start with the G-Men didn't exactly translate into a resurrected career, and Pettis isn't exactly a viable option when looking at a would-be 49ers reunion.

Especially if Shanahan is making the call.

No. 2: Willie Snead IV

For much of 2022 and 2023, veteran wide receiver Willie Snead was a go-to Niners reservist who frequently found himself bumped up off the practice squad to account for injuries at the position. During that two-year span, Snead appeared in a combined eight games and even recorded two catches for 14 yards in 2023.

So, considering that was his role over the last two years, why not go that route again?

Well, he probably burned that bridge last offseason when he openly criticized San Francisco for his lack of use, claiming the 49ers didn't allow for proper competition and instead embraced "entitlement."

Yikes.

No. 3: Richie James

Veteran receiver Richie James had an up-and-down tenure with the Niners between 2018 and 2021, which included Super Bowl gaffes and yearlong appearances on injured reserve.

Primarily a return specialist, James got his revenge against San Francisco in the Super Bowl last February as a member of the Kansas City Chiefs where he maintained that special teams role.

While re-adding James makes a little more sense than either of the two aforementioned names, the 49ers aren't exactly seeking return help even though Samuel has doubled as a kickoff returner.

Instead, the Niners may be better off featuring one of their own rostered players buried on the depth chart, perhaps the likes of Chris Conley, rookie Jacob Cowing or even second-year pro Ronnie Bell on something of a preseason redemption campaign.

Unless fans are eager to see someone like James or Pettis back in the red and gold.

Probably not.

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