If the San Francisco 49ers plan to upgrade the wide receiver position, it won't be with Tyrell Williams. The Los Angeles Chargers receiver intends to sign with the Oakland Raiders, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Former Chargers' WR Tyrell Williams intends to sign with the Oakland Raiders, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2019
Williams, 27, would have been the tallest receiver on the 49ers roster had the team signed him. He is listed as 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds. While there were no reliable reports that San Francisco was pursuing Williams, he was viewed by many as a good fit for the offense resulting in a lot of offseason speculation that the 49ers might target him.
The Chargers signed Williams as an undrafted free agent out of Western Oregon in 2015. He registered 41 receptions for 653 yards with five touchdowns through 16 games and 10 starts with Los Angeles in 2018.
Williams has caught 155 passes for 2,530 yards with 17 touchdowns through his four NFL seasons. His best season came in 2016 when injuries at receiver pushed Williams onto the field more. He finished the season with career-highs in receptions (69), receiving yards (1,059), and receiving touchdowns (7).
Williams being buried on the Chargers' depth chart is one reason why the receiver's numbers over the past two seasons have been less than impressive. Of course, no 49ers wideout surpassed 500 yards receiving in 2018.
"His blend of size, speed, and athleticism make him an intriguing free agent for the 49ers as a deep ball threat with a career average of 16.3 yards per reception," wrote our own Justin Wong in a recent profile on Williams. "From a pure talent perspective, Williams has all the makings of a true number one receiver."
