One position that San Francisco 49ers players feel good about entering the 2021 NFL season is the wide receiver.
The Niners intend to keep their two main broadouts up and running for years to come. The team picked up Deebo Samuel in the second leg of the NFL 2019 Draft and then selected Brandon Aiyuk in 25th overall last year.
Both players had an immediate impact when moving on to the pros. Here are the numbers for the debut seasons:
Samuel: 57 receptions, 802 yards, three touchdowns, 14 runs for 159 yards and three scores.
Aiyuk: 60 receptions, 748 yards, five touchdowns, six runs for 77 yards and two scores.
Deebo was unable to stay on the pitch during his second season. He suffered a Jones fracture during the 2020 off-season, which kept him out of the first three games. Samuel returned for four games before wasting any more time because of a hamstring problem and also due to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols.
He then returned for two games before hurting his hamstring again in just one play in the Niners’ defeat in Week 14 to the Washington Football Team. Samuel ended the season with 33 receptions for 391 yards and a touchdown in seven games.
Both receivers are YAC monsters, but they have different styles. Samuel has the constitution of an ox and crosses the defenders with the ball in his hands. Aiyuk uses her agility and athleticism to open up and is smooth with her movements.
There is no doubt that Samuel and Aiyuk will be at the top of the depth table if they are both healthy, but it will be interesting to see which other recipients will be on the list in 2021.
Richie James Jr. is under contract for 2021, but has not shown the consistency that you would like your third option. He had a notable performance in the week 9 loss to the Green Bay Packers, ending the competition with nine receptions for 184 yards and a touchdown.
James has been with the team since 2018, but has been used primarily as a returner. He ended the 2020 season with a career boost in receptions (23) and yards (394). However, consistency problems plagued the speedster.
Coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch will have to decide what to do with Kendrick Bourne. The 26-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent after finishing the 2020 campaign with career records for receptions (49) and yards (667). Bourne also picked up two touchdowns.
Over the Cap values Bourne at $ 6.3 million on the open market, which is more than likely outside the 49ers’ budget.
Another veteran the Niners can lose is Trent Taylor. The 26-year-old is not the same since he suffered a Jones fracture, which resulted in five surgeries to correct the problem. Taylor struggled to open up on the slot machine and ended the 2020 campaign with just 10 receptions for 86 yards, playing 18% of the attack’s total snap counts.
The River Cracraft depth piece was put into action due to all injuries and has seven receptions in 85 yards. It was used primarily in a special team role. Cracraft signed a new agreement to stay in San Francisco next season.
Shanahan had high hopes for the 2019 third round selection, Jalen Hurd, who unfortunately hasn’t played a regular season since joining the team. Hurd injured his back during the 2019 preseason, which made him miss the entire debut campaign. He looked great at training camp last year, but ended up tearing up his ACL. If he manages to eliminate rust after losing consecutive seasons, 49ers will give him plenty of opportunities to make his mark.
The team will also see how Jauan Jennings develops going into her second year, and veteran Travis Benjamin is under contract after giving up on the 2020 campaign due to the threat of COVID-19.
Depending on what happens to the veteran left tackle, San Francisco won’t have much to spend during the free agency. With a projected salary cap of $ 185 million, 49ers would have about $ 16 million in capitalization space, that is, with up to 40 players who could reach the open market in the off-season. That amount may grow depending on what happens with contract cuts and restructurings in the coming weeks.
As Samuel and Aiyuk are on the list, don’t expect the Niners to receive a receiver with one of their initial draft picks, but the team needs depth in position.
Several options must be available at a free agency. Players like Allen Robinson, Marvin Jones, Corey Davis and TY Hilton are likely to be out of the 49ers’ price range. Still, other veterans can sign a cheap one-year contract, given the limit restrictions after a season with mostly empty stadiums.
Here are some of the broadouts that are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents:
AJ Green, Sammy Watkins, Breshad Perriman, Willie Snead, Keelan Cole, Chris Connelly, Danny Amendola.
Green has spent his entire nine-year career with Cincinnati Bengals and can join a candidate this offseason. He played all 16 games and ended up with 47 receptions for 523 yards and two touchdowns.
San Francisco needs to add a slot receiver, so Snead or Amendola may be suitable.
Even at 35, Amendola was productive for the Miami Dolphins in 2020. The veteran played in 14 games and had 46 receptions for 602 yards.
The 49ers can offer Bourne a new contract, give James a chance or hope Hurd hasn’t missed a step after failing two consecutive years. If they don’t feel they already have an internal response, Shanahan and Lynch can explore the free agent’s route or use one of their selections of intermediate rounds on a receiver.
What veteran receivers would you like the Niners to target? If they don’t, who do you think will be the team’s third recipient next season?