Two wide receiver names have been making their rounds this week at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Surprisingly, neither is the name of a draft prospect.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have made it clear that they are willing to listen to offers for Antonio Brown. The New York Giants have seemingly made it clear that they are not shopping Odell Beckham Jr., but there is the possibility that a blockbuster offer might change their minds.
The San Francisco 49ers aren't openly discussing either receiver because NFL rules prohibit them from doing so while such a player is under contract with another team. Both head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch, however, confirmed this week that the 49ers have not contacted the Steelers about Brown.
A true No. 1 wide receiver is among San Francisco's offseason needs. Adding an elite talent at the position would open things up for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, tight end George Kittle, running back Jerick McKinnon, and the rest of the offense.
There is also the pressure of Shanahan and Lynch entering their third season with just 10 combined victories.
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Lynch joined The Herd with Colin Cowherd on Thursday and was asked about Beckham and Brown in the form of a question disguised as an inquiry about Garoppolo. Cowherd asked if the quarterback's youth was a concern regarding such a trade. In the end, Lynch was asked what it would take to pull the trigger on a deal for one of the two receivers.
"I think anytime you love adding great football players to your locker room, so I don't think there's a whole lot of concern," Lynch told Cowherd. "It's just how do you make things happen? I think we're always open to bringing really good football players in. We discuss everything when you're talking about players like that, and I'll leave it at that.
"Those guys are both playing for other teams right now, and they're both guys that we have a ton of respect for. But I think anytime there's an opportunity to get somebody who can vastly improve your team, you're going to look into it and see if it is possible."
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As for the draft itself, Lynch also explained that the 49ers are open to all possibilities, including trading down from the No. 2 overall pick.
"I think we're open to anything," Lynch said. "We showed [that] my first year on the job. We went back one spot for several picks. So the one thing I've learned? A lot transpires between now and then, including do we fall in love with a player and say, 'You know what? We're silly if we move out of it.'
"The reason some people say, 'Why don't you already know that?' Well, your coaching staff just finished a season. Now, they're jumping in. They've done their free agent work. Now, they're diving into the draft. Then we collaborate, and we start putting all these thoughts together, and it's an ongoing process.
"There's so many different factors. Is there somebody to trade for? Is there somebody to trade with? Can you agree on a value? All those things, but yes, you have those thoughts. You go through different scenarios, and then the draft happens, and that's when all the fun starts."
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