The 49ers face a number of dilemmas this offseason, with the situation at the wide receiver position chief among them.
Once a clear strong point of their roster, the 49ers’ receiving corps is a shadow of what
it once was. Brandon Aiyuk has played his last snap as a 49er and the same could soon be said for Jauan Jennings. Ricky Pearsall, their first-round pick from 2024, has endured dreadful injury misfortune.
And with Kendrick Bourne and Skyy Moore also bound for unrestricted free agency, the 49ers have a decision to make as to how they rebuild the depth chart.
In Pearsall, the 49ers have a skilled route-runner who can consistently create separation and stretch defenses deep. However, it was obvious late in the 2025 season that, with Aiyuk not returning, the Niners sorely missed an X receiver who could do the same.
Should Jennings depart, the 49ers will also be looking to fill the void left by a high-floor possession receiver with some big-play upside.
The 49ers will try to bring Jennings back at the right price and, with some room for maneuver in free agency, there’s an argument to suggest San Francisco should use the resources it has to attack the open market by bringing in proven commodities. Alec Pierce of the Indianapolis Colts is seen by many as an excellent candidate to fill that X receiver role. Pierce led the NFL in yards per reception (21.3) for the second straight season in 2025.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan would almost certain prefer known quantities at receiver, which is why a return for Bourne on another short-term deal would be no surprise, especially if Jennings leaves.
Indeed, there’s reason to be skeptical that Shanahan will be willing to elevate Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins to prominent roles given the minimal snaps the two fourth-rounders have received to this point in their fledgling careers.
But, with the needs the 49ers have at other positions, particularly on the defensive line, San Francisco would be wise to embrace the youth movement and replicate an approach taken by their NFC rivals the Green Bay Packers.
Since 2022, the Packers have invested consistently in the wide receiver position in the draft — selecting eight players in that span.
While a perceived lack of number one receiver has been viewed as a problem over the years, Green Bay’s process of filling their depth chart with young wideouts has paid dividends. Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks have all been productive, while Matthew Golden shone as a rookie after being taken in the first round last year.
The 49ers have three very talented young receivers in Pearsall, Watkins and Cowing. Brock Purdy has already developed an impressive rapport with Pearsall and did the same with Watkins training camp last season. Cowing also displayed some positive flashes in very limited action in 2024.
While the Niners would likely ideally want to lean on proven wideouts, Purdy’s track record of quickly establishing a rapport with his targets since ascending to the starting role in 2022 should be a factor in swaying them towards the opposite path and adding more receivers via the draft.
San Francisco still has Demarcus Robinson under contract and will be expected to bring Moore back because of his upside on special teams. As such, the 49ers will have veteran experience in some capacity. However, if they can add at least one receiver via the draft and allow them to compete for playing time with Pearsall, Watkins and Cowing, the results could be greatly beneficial for the 49er offense in the immediate future and in the long term.
Shanahan has continually proven he can manufacture offense largely irrespective of the weapons available to him. In an offseason in which they need to be smart about how they use their cap room and one in which they need to continue to get younger, it would be a wise play to back him and Purdy to get the most out of a largely unproven group of pass-catchers.
Either way, the approach the 49ers take at wideout will be one of the most fascinating stories to follow in another important offseason.
