The San Francisco 49ers can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to injuries at wide receiver. In their Week 3 win over the Arizona Cardinals, they lost Mike Evans to a rib injury, and he’s currently listed as week-to-week.
Moreover, injuries have been piling up since the start of the season, with De’Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson injured through the first three weeks. Christian Kirk was injured before the season began, while Ricky Pearsall underwent season-ending surgery.
With their depth being tested, the 49ers recently signed Brandin Cooks. San Francisco has also brought back former second-round pick Dante Pettis, whom the team selected in the 2018 NFL Draft. Nonetheless, could the 49ers still look at the veteran free agent market?
Former Niners cornerback and Amazon Prime NFL analyst Richard Sherman believes the Niners should be an option for free agent wideout Tyreek Hill, who is working his way back from a severe left knee dislocation and torn ACL he suffered last season.
“If he’s asking for $20 million a year or $10 million with a ton of incentives, I think that puts out a lot of the top contenders,” Sherman said in a Sept. 30 video from “The Richard Sherman Show.”
“… The San Francisco 49ers don’t have the money to pay him anything, but if he’s trying to take a low-risk, high-reward type of deal and go out there and prove himself, then I think they’d take a shot at him.”
NFL Teams Could Use Wideout Like Tyreek Hill
During his four seasons with the Miami Dolphins, Hill had 340 catches for 4,733 yards and scored 29 touchdowns in 54 games, per StatMuse. As Hill makes his way back from injury, he’ll have options, especially if the veteran shows he still has the same speed. Whether that’s the Niners or another team remains to be seen.
“There’s a ton of teams that need receiver help and can use an explosive receiver like Tyreek Hill, depending on where he actually is in his rehab process, what he looks like, [and whether he] can come back and be the same player that he was,” Sherman added.
Are the 49ers a Serious Landing Spot for Tyreek Hill?
While Sherman believes San Francisco could be an option for Hill if he decides to lower his potential asking price, Joe Shasky of 95.7 The Game recently listed potential names the team could target in the free agent market before the Niners signed Cooks and Evans suffered a rib injury.
However, Shasky ruled out Hill being a name that he doesn’t see coming to the Bay Area despite the injuries to the 49ers’ wideout room.
“I was thinking about this, they’re gonna have to bring someone in,” Shasky said in a Sept. 21 video from 95.7 The Game. “It’s probably too early for trades, though I do believe there are some trades that are gonna go down.
“Let me give you some of the free agents the Niners could sign given the Demarcus Robinson injury. Tyreek Hill? No, they’re not gonna do it. This team’s not bringing him in. I’m just gonna tell everyone right now: The Chiefs will; [the Niners] won’t.”
Richard Sherman Has Clear 49ers Message for Free Agent Tyreek Hill