49ers Need Consistency from Wide Receivers

Consistency is something every person strives for. The occasional flashes of brilliance mean nothing if it can’t be repeated when needed. Consistency in the NFL is the difference between winning and losing. For the San Francisco 49ers, consistency in 2021 could mean a return to February football. The 49ers are a team built on the ground game. However, the team has shown the ability to beat teams through the air when necessary. The problem comes with a lack of consistency, whether it applies to ability or availability. Today we take a look at the wide receiver room for the 49ers and what consistency means for the 2021 season.

The Group

Deebo Samuel
Brandon Aiyuk
Richie James
Jalen Hurd
Travis Benjamin
River Cracraft
Mohamed Sanu Sr.
Trent Sherfield
Austin Watkins Jr.
Nsimba Webster
Kevin White
Jauan Jennings

The Philosophy

Since the arrival of Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, in the spring of 2017, the 49ers have not spent much money on the wide receiver position. According to Sportac, the position group spending for wide receivers has never gone higher than 14th in the league. That happened in the first two seasons when the team brought in veterans Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin. In 2018, Garcon counted $9.25 million against the cap, accounting for 3.97% of the team’s total spending. In the last two seasons since then, no wide receiver has hit 2% of total spending.

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Rather than spending big on free agency, the 49ers have chosen to draft the position and bring in low-cost options in free agency. Looking at the roster, the 49ers invested in two talented wide receivers on the first two days of the draft. In 2019, San Francisco selected Deebo Samuel in the second round. A year later, the 49ers spent the 25th pick in the first round on Brandon Aiyuk. The current roster shows 12 total wide receivers. Seven of the twelve are 25 years old or younger, with ten out of twelve under the age of 30. The youth brings a significant amount of potential but it remains to be seen if things will work out.

Next Man Up

San Francisco’s wide receiver room has been plagued by injuries since Shanahan and Co. arrived in 2017. This has led to the 49ers relying on unproven backups to carry the load. In 2019 and 2020, Kendrick Bourne became a consistent contributor. However, Bourne signed with the Patriots during the recent offseason, leaving a void at the position. If Samuel and Aiyuk can stay healthy, they are a scary pairing. That could be asking too much as Samuel has missed 10 games over his first two seasons. Aiyuk missed four games during his rookie 2020 season.

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James returns following a decent showing last season. He’s likely to feature in three and four-wide sets. Hurd sat out his rookie season but seems healthy through the first week of camp and is in the mix as well. After those four, the water gets a bit murky. Sanu and Benjamin have both featured in the past with their respective teams but the former is 31 years old and the latter is coming off missing the entire 2020 season. White has battled injuries but was the seventh overall pick in the 2015 draft. Jennings missed last season with an injury while Cracraft, Sherfield, Watkins, and Webster, are all question marks and likely tabbed as contributors on special teams. Ultimately, the 49ers need to find consistency from the position. It has the potential to be above average but could easily become the weakest part of the offense.

– Ryan Adverderada is the Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage 49ers. He also covers the Arizona Cardinals for Full Press Coverage. Like and follow on Follow @ryanadverderada