Pierre Garçon was the not the future of the 49ers’ receiving corps. However, the news Thursday that they’d be declining to exercise his club option for the 2019 season did elevate their need to add personnel at that position.
The 49ers were already in need of a receiver to bolster their passing attack. With Garcon out of the picture, the 49ers receiving corps will feature Marquise Goodwin, Dante Pettis, Kendrick Bourne, Trent Taylor and Richie James. Those five combined have played 12 NFL seasons. Garcon has 11 by himself. Last season those five receivers had 127 catches for 1,694 yards and 15 touchdowns. That productivity isn’t going to win a lot of football games.
Garcon has enough left to be a productive receiver in the NFL. Injuries and his price tag made it difficult for the 49ers to justify keeping him – especially when he was going to be No. 3 or 4 on the depth chart.
San Francisco can’t just replace Garcon with another experienced receiver though. They have to find a reliable pass catcher who’s gets open and makes contested catches. Garcon did those two things very well in his prime. Entering his mid-30s, his prime was behind him, but his early career provides a good model for what the 49ers are looking for.
Keeping Garcon would’ve meant wide receiver slid down the list of offseason priorities, but it would’ve still been on the list. Now it becomes their second-biggest need behind edge rusher if it wasn’t already.
With a less-than-inspiring free agent class of wide receivers on the horizon, the 49ers should have a close eye on receivers at the combine later this month.
