The assumption is that the San Francisco 49ers will swing for a wide receiver this offseason. How big that swing will be might be determined by the market. The 49ers could use a first-round pick on a wide receiver for the second time in three years.
After the Chicago Bears just traded DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills for a second-round pick, the Niners might not have a choice but to look toward the NFL Draft.
Moore, who turns 29 this offseason, still has four years left on the extension he signed with Chicago in July 2024. Moore’s guaranteed salary of $23.4 million in 2026 is guaranteed.
If a player like Moore, at his age and off the season he just had, is fetching a second round pick, then the floor for A.J. Brown, Brian Thomas Jr., Jaylen Waddle, or any other “star” wideout is likely a first round pick.
It also could depend on how desperate you are. It’s no secret that Buffalo coveted any wide receiver. Moore has a history with the Bills’ head coach Joe Brady, so you can see why he was willing to part ways with a late second-rounder.
Calling the 49ers desperate feels over-the-top when discussing their wide receiver position. They need to figure out a way to keep Ricky Pearsall healthy. There’s an obvious need with Brandon Aiyuk’s inevitable release and Jauan Jennings set to test the free agency market, but this is an offense that has produced at a high level year in and year out. The lone WR1 season they had was in 2023, when they forgot to feature their star receiver on the biggest stage.
So, if the Niners are interested in a veteran receiver, they’d better be ready to discuss at least involving their first-round pick after Moore was traded.
It makes it all the more likely that San Francisco will be in on Romeo Doubs, Mike Evans, and maybe even Alec Pierce if they are willing to spend. But a trade for a premier wideout might be off the table.
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