Originally posted by SkyGod:
Boldin could be a 1 and out and Patterson does not have to be red shirted he may be able to contribute in 2013.
Smart GM's plan ahead. What if Boldin or Crabtree get injured?
Jenkins has not proven jack.
49ers can't afford to sign any of the top FA WR's in 2014 or 2015.
Williams at best is a 4th slot receiver on a SB contending team.
We need to be looking to aquire an elite wideout in the 2013 draft and Patterson is the consensus #1 wideout WR he will be a beast.
You can make the 'what if so and so gets injured' argument for any position. Maybe we should go inside linebacker in the first round in case Willis and Bowman get injured? The bottom line though is we have 2 blue chip wide receivers, a third WR in Manningham, who, though injured at the moment, would start on most teams when healthy. We got a 23 year old 2012 1st rounder who surely will have more of an opportunity to show what he can do in 2013. Plus Williams. We have very nice depth right now at WR even with 2 guys coming off ACL's (even if NEITHER is ready at the beginning of season, I wouldn't feel uncomfortable with a Baalke 1st round pick as our #3 receiver) We will probably draft a receiver but I highly doubt that it'll be in the first couple rounds. As for 2014, yes we might not have Boldin then, but then again we also might indeed have him. And even if we don't, Jenkins in his 3rd year should be ready to start. Maybe Manningham and/or Williams will earn new contracts. There's also 2014 free agency and the 2014 draft. Too many variables about our 2014 WR corps to say that it needs to be urgently addressed in the 2013 draft.
Think about it, you have 2 of the 10 or 15 best wide receivers in the NFL starting. As it is on the bench you have last year's first rounder, and you want to spend ANOTHER first rounder on a WR to ride the pine? With, again, still guys like Manningham and Williams on the roster? Makes no sense. Hell, if (and it's not really even that big of an if) Manningham and Williams are both ready to go at the start of the regular season, I would be perfectly fine with simply going Crab/Boldin/Manningham/Jenkins/Williams as our WR corps. Why are you so worried about 2014? I would bet $1,000 that between Boldin/Manningham/Williams, AT LEAST one of them (and likely multiple) will be given a new contract keeping them in San Fran beyond 2013. Then in 2014 you would have at least one of them to go along with Crabtree, Jenkins, and, say, a 2014 free agent and a 2014 draft pick. I'm not at all concerned about our 2014 WR corps.
[ Edited by kap2crab on Mar 24, 2013 at 12:55 PM ]