The San Francisco 49ers enter the 2026 NFL off-season with a clear mandate: strengthen their receiving corps to complement their potent offense and support quarterback Brock Purdy.
With the potential departure of key contributors and looming contract decisions, the upcoming free agency period presents a pivotal opportunity. This article provides three wide receivers the 49ers should pursue, and makes the case for retaining Jauan Jennings, whose impact has been understated but crucial in high-leverage situations.
Again, the 49ers are at risk of not only losing Jennings but also Brandon Aiyuk, who quit on the team, and Kendrick Bourne, who filled in admirably when needed this past season. A pair of returners, Trent Taylor and Skyy Moore, are also pending free agents.
First on the docket, the 49ers should prioritize bringing back Jennings if the price is fair. The 49ers can't afford to pay $20-plus million for Jennings. Spotrac has his market value pinned at $22 million annually, which is too rich for my taste.
Now, if the market for Jennings across the league comes in somewhere in the $16-17 million range, we can have a different conversation. In 2025, Jennings totaled 643 yards on 55 grabs for nine scores and converted 54.3% of his third-down targets into first downs.
He also posted seven red zone touchdowns on just 22.9% of red zone targets with a 57.89% catch rate. In comparison, Christian McCaffrey accounted for 30.1% of the 49ers' red zone targets in 2025, making an 80% catch rate for 118 yards and seven scores.
Amon-Ra St. Brown led the league in red zone target percentage with 41.5%. It goes without saying that Jennings is also a fearless run-blocker, and in Kyle Shanahan's system, that's nearly as important as catching the football for receivers.
Three Free Agency Targets: Balancing Upside, Reliability, and Versatility
Alec Pierce: Downfield Threat with Untapped Potential
If the 49ers are willing to pay $20-plus million to a receiver, spending it on a downfield threat that can unlock others in Shanahan's system seems a bit more valuable than a possession receiver.
In years past, the 49ers had the ability to attack you at all three levels in the passing game with Aiyuk deep, George Kittle, Jennings, and Samuel in the intermediate level, and Samuel and McCaffrey short or behind the line of scrimmage. This past season, with all of the injuries to Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, Kittle, and Jennings, really limited their explosiveness, which we've grown to see over the years.
Alec Pierce, formerly of the Indianapolis Colts, offers the 49ers a dynamic vertical threat. In 2025, Pierce averaged 21.3 yards per reception, and 22.3 in 2024, both of which led the league. He posted a catch rate of 56%, and his ability to stretch defenses complements the 49ers' play-action-heavy scheme.
Pierce, 26, with a relatively clean injury history, suggests long-term upside, making him a cost-effective addition. His athleticism and route versatility would open up the field for Purdy and alleviate pressure on the mid-range route-runners and the run game.
Keenan Allen: Veteran Reliability and third-down Security Blanket
Keenan Allen, despite nearly claiming his old age pension in football terms, remains one of the league's most-trusted possession receivers. In 2025, Allen registered 81 receptions for 777 yards and four touchdowns, converting a 54.9% success rate and providing Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers offense with a 66.4% overall catch rate.
His route precision and football IQ could be very valuable to Purdy and the 49ers offense, especially on third down. Allen appeared in 17 games last season, the most of his career in a single season. His leadership and experience would be invaluable in mentoring younger receivers, including Pearsall and whoever they add in the draft.
At this point in his career, Allen should be available at a reasonable rate.
Kalif Raymond: Versatile Depth and Special Teams Impact
Kalif Raymond brings a unique blend of speed, versatility, and special teams prowess. In 2025, Raymond notched 24 catches for 289 yards and one score, while also averaging 7.5 yards per punt return. That said, in 2024, Raymond averaged 13.8 yards per punt return and led the league with 413 punt return yards. This past season, Raymond totaled 161 kick return yards on six opportunities.
His ability to operate from the slot, stretch the field on jet sweeps, and contribute as a return specialist enhances roster flexibility. I see him as a slight upgrade and a bit more trustworthy as a depth receiver than Skyy Moore.
Moore accumulated 907 kick return yards on 33 chances this past season. A lot of that comes down to special teams philosophy, whether you want your returners to run them back or are content with a touchback.
Raymond's durability and adaptability make him an ideal depth option, especially for a team that values creative offensive packages and reliable field position.