The San Francisco 49ers have gone from one of the deeper wide receiver rooms in the NFC to a group that is bailing water and trying to sign any available replacement. Injuries have ravaged this room, which prompted moves like the trade for former Kansas City Chief Skyy Moore.
At full strength, the Niners' three best receivers of Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings have some very specific holes in their game that could lead to them sputtering due to a lack of versatility. San Francisco would do well to invest in one more vertical threat, and a hated rival may have gift-wrapped a perfect veteran target for them.
The emergence of rookie Tory Horton led the Seattle Seahawks to part ways with former Packers and Chiefs wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling. MVS will likely get picked up relatively soon, which puts even more pressure on San Francisco to acquire him.
49ers should acquire former Seahawks WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Valdes-Scantling is what he is at this point in his career. He is never going to run the crispest routes in the world, and there will be some drops mixed in, but he remains a 6-4 wideout with great speed for his size and a penchant for reeling off big plays when he is sent on vertical routes.
While head coach Kyle Shanahan's passing game has never been one to rely too heavily on go balls down the sideline, the fact that this receiver room is lacking in that particular area could lead to them at least rolling the dice on MVS as a seldom-used backup role player. There are worse veterans to burn a roster spot on.
When everyone is back to full health, would it shock anyone if Valdes-Scantling were to end the season as the WR4 behind Aiyuk, Jennings, and Pearsall? Even on a terrible Saints team last year, Valdes-Scantling was still able to average over 21 yards per catch as a field-stretcher.
The 49ers may need to peruse the free-agent market for upgrades in the name of improving a below-average receiver room, and the option that can both provide this offense with the different look they need while simultaneously being able to give this unit a very slight floor-raiser, MVS can be had for next to nothing.