The San Francisco 49ers are going to have some questions at wide receiver in the offseason. Only Ricky Pearsall is guaranteed to return. Jauan Jennings and Kendrick Bourne are free agents.
Bourne has already
indicated wants to return.
“I’m trying to come back,” Bourne said on Richard Sherman’s podcast. “Talked to Kyle. Got a good relationship, had a good exit meeting. I’m trying to make it happen.”
Bourne stepped up for the 49ers’ wide receiver room when the injury bug hit, getting 551 yards receiving for 2026. This is after he came after Week 1. He made the most impact in Week 5 against the Los Angeles Rams, notching 142 yards receiving in a 26-23 win.
Bourne highlighted his relationship with John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan as a reason he was brought back.
“Any players out there,” Bourne said, recalling how powerful his relationship was with the 49ers brass. “Don’t leave and go on Twitter. You never know when you might need to come back.”
Besides not being around for training camp in the 2025 season, another possible reason for Bourne’s “only” 541 yards is that they already had a Bourne on the team in Jauan Jennings. This is not unlike a head-scratching trade the 49ers made for Stevie Richards a decade ago, when they had a similar player in Michael Crabtree.
The difference is that the 49ers needed Bourne after Week 1 left few survivors. Even after players returned, Bourne’s availability was invaluable.
With Ricky Pearsall’s unfortunate injury history, Brandon Aiyuk now AWOL, and Jauan Jennings set to hit the market, a single wide receiver won’t just fill the holes. When Bourne left for the New England Patriots, Jauan Jennings stepped right into the role he left, being a dependable third-down machine. With Jennings’ future uncertain, Bourne could reclaim the role he once had with the 49ers.
“San Francisco is home,” he said. “Money talks, but that’s definitely home.”
