The San Francisco 49ers are in dire need of weapons for quarterback Brock Purdy, but Sports Illustrated 49ers writer Grant Cohn believes they would be better served adding elsewhere on their offense.
Cohn spelled out why the Niners would be better off adding an offensive lineman instead of paying No. 1 wide receiver Jauan Jennings in free agency this offseason.
Jennings is, of course, a free agent after his two-year contract expired when San Francisco’s season ended with a 41-6 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Divisional Round playoffs Jan. 17.
The 2020 seventh-round draft pick of the Niners is represented by super agent Drew Rosenhaus, which could be a further deterrent in him re-signing in San Francisco.
Grant Cohn Urges The 49ers To Pay A Lineman Over Jauan Jennings
Jennings is a terrific receiver, who led the 49ers in receiving touchdowns, finished second on the team in receiving yards (643) and was third in catches (55) behind Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle.
Still, Spotrac predicted Jennings to earn a three-year contract worth more than $22 million annually. Even SI’s reporter Parker Hurley floated a realistic salary for Jennings.
“Something in the $17-$18M range may be better [for Jennings’ AAV],” Hurley wrote. “It is more than a lot of his peers who signed before him but not more than players with much stronger track records.
“The 49ers should not offer more than $18M per year, and if Jennings does want $22M, he may have to wait for a free agency bidding war to get it.”
Yet, Cohn suggested that even the fair-market value for Jennings should be too rich for the 49ers’ blood.
“Instead of giving Jauan Jennings more than $15 million per season, the 49ers should spend that money on an offensive lineman,” Cohn wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The Niners will get enhanced cap relief when they release Brandon Aiyuk and if Jennings walks too, they could put that to use to target a top-flight No. 1 wideout.
But with Kyle Shanahan’s unique offense, the Niners could continue to draft and develop young, unheralded wideouts to go with Ricky Pearsall and Kendrick Bourne, along with McCaffrey and Kittle.
The 49ers Could Draft An O-Lineman, But Will Probably Have To Pay For One In Free Agency
All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams has one more year on his contract and seems likely to retire when that expires — unless he and the Niners decide to go year to year on contracts.
But San Francisco had two of the top-10 tackles in the NFL, per Pro-Football Focus, in Williams and right tackle Colton McKivitz. Center Jake Brendel also ranked eighth in the NFL among 37 qualifying players at that position per PFF.
So the Niners are likely to target a guard, either in free agency or with the 27th pick in April’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, though they could opt for a utility lineman.
Mel Kiper Jr. projected them to take Caleb Lomu as the heir apparent to Williams at No. 27 in his mock draft last week, and NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah had them targeting tight end from Oregon Kenyon Sadiq.
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