San Francisco 49ers: 5 Free Agent Wide Receivers to Target

49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh would like to get quarterback Alex Smith some additional receiving weapons through free agency in 2012.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The San Francisco 49ers know of an immediate need on their roster. It contributed to the offensive woes all season and particularly in the playoffs. A dominating defense and a flawless special teams almost overcame the lack of depth on this playmaking position.

Wide receiver.

Quarterback Alex Smith needs someone to throw the ball to besides the running back and tight end. Head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman can only play conservative due to lack of resources for so long. And with the defense and special teams backed into playing at near perfection to combat their vanishing act in the offense, getting depth at this position is essential.

There are two opportunities for San Francisco to upgrade at wideout before organized team activities and training camp opens. The NFL draft is one chance, but these are college stars who in most cases need seasoning before being ready to make the type of serious impact the 49ers need in the receiving corps.

The other place to find available wide receivers to bring on-board is free agency. The 49ers must wait until March 13 to begin signing players who finished the season on another team’s roster. And there is a six-week window between then and the draft.

The 49ers recent free agency experience, particular at wide receiver, has not panned out the way they had hoped. Veteran Braylon Edwards was someone team management felt strongly would be a starting wide receiver when they signed him to a one-year deal. Edwards got hurt and never truly recovered or regained the form from his days as a member of the Cleveland Browns. The 49ers abruptly released him in the second half of the 2011 season.

With Michael Crabtree, who is signed through 2014, as well as Kyle Williams, Ted Ginn Jr and Josh Morgan as options to fill the backend of the depth chart, the 49ers need help for 2012.

Here are five free agent wide receivers that the San Francisco 49ers should look to target in mid-March.

Marques Colston or Robert Meachem, New Orleans

Either Marques Colston or Robert Meachem from the high-octane New Orleans offense would be a nice upgrade at wideout.
Chris Graythen/Getty Images

With the likes of New England’s Wes Welker and Kansas City’s Dwayne Bowe likely to re-sign or get the franchise tag placed on them by their current squads, next up are either Marques Colston or Robert Meachem from New Orleans.

Dem Saints might have to use their tag on either of two Pro Bowlers—quarterback Drew Brees or offensive lineman Carl Nicks. Which leaves Colston and Meachem to draw out some competing bids and attractive offers to leave the Bayou.

Colston had a sensational opening night game in 2011, only to break his collarbone and miss a few games. At 28 years old, the wear is there. But at 6'4" and 225 pounds, he is a prototypical No. 1 receiver that the 49ers would relish. Without a few regular season, Colston still managed 80 catches, 1,143 yards and eight scores. He goes over the middle for all ranges of routes and had over 14 yards per grab.

Meanwhile, Meachem is not far behind at 27 years young. With all of the weapons in New Orleans, he tallied 40 receptions for 620 receiving yards and six touchdowns. His 15.5 yards per catch showed his speed and ability to handle the deep routes.

Colston has already said that he doesn’t believe in the "hometown discount." Conversely, he’s done very well receiving passes from a pinpoint thrower Brees and likely will try to make things work with New Orleans following a Super Bowl win a few years back. Likewise for Meachem, unless another suitor with deep pockets shows the money, both will return to the fleur de lys rather than give it a go with Alex Smith and Co.

Vincent Jackson, San Diego

San Diego's Vincent Jackson would stretch the field for even more underneath effectiveness.
Harry How/Getty Images

Like Marques Colston, the Chargers’ Vincent Jackson presents a huge receiving target and threat anywhere on the field. An intimidating presence to near 6' cornerbacks standing across the line of scrimmage, he stands 6'5" and weighs in at 230. He has great speed, decent hands and a leaping ability that has worked well previously with Philip Rivers.

The 29-year-old Jackson held out last season in hopes of securing a long-term deal. He eventually caved after the Bolts’ brass offered a one-year tender. Now unrestricted, Jackson’s 2011 resume featured 60 catches for 1,106 yards. He tallied nine scores and had an eye-popping 18.4 yards average.

49ers quarterback Alex Smith isn’t the gunslinger that Rivers is and won’t likely throw up jump balls to Jackson. But with personnel like tight end Vernon Davis that is comparable to Antonio Gates, as well as Michael Crabtree to Malcom Floyd, Jackson might walk into a nice situation with a similarly good running game, with a tenacious defense to make a championship run more than possible.

Stevie Johnson, Buffalo

Stevie Johnson from Buffalo has Bay Area ties that might lure him to San Francisco.
Marc Serota/Getty Images

Yes, he made fun of Plaxico Burress during a touchdown celebration. And yes, some of the things he says and does are headscratchers.

But Stevie Johnson is a talented wideout who has had success in Buffalo. And as the song goes, if he can make it there, he can make it anywhere.

A smaller receiver with decent route running skills and good hands and body control, Johnson makes the most of his 6'2", 210-pound frame. And he’s only 25 years old with Bay Area connections, as he was born in San Francisco.  

Even with a Jekyll and Hyde quarterback in the Bills’ Ryan Fitzpatrick, he nabbed 76 receptions, 1,004 yards and seven trips to paydirt. Like the aforementioned Marques Colston and Vincent Jackson, Johnson demands attention on the opposite side of the ball.

And like Jackson, Johnson won’t disrespect head coach Jim Harbaugh. Not after the type of season the 49ers had in 2011 and the type of leadership already in the locker room. Johnson may find new surroundings to rejuvenate his image.

Laurent Robinson, Dallas

Dallas' Laurent Robinson performed well before and after the injury to Miles Austin.
Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images

Unlike the previously mentioned receivers, Dallas’ Laurent Robinson isn’t homegrown in Big D. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons and made a stop in St. Louis before joining the Cowboys.

And unlike those other receivers, he hasn’t posted a 1,000-yard receiving season in his career. And he hasn’t been a No. 1 receiver on any NFL team he’s played for.

And he’s only 6'2" and 194 pounds, so his size and stature don’t measure up to the likes of Marques Colston or Vincent Jackson.

But Robinson produced. Especially when the Cowboys needed him most. When Miles Austin went down for a second time in 2011, Robinson quickly became quarterback Tony Romo’s go-to guy. Dez Bryant wasn’t consistent enough, and Robinson seemed to have good rapport.

Good enough to the tune of 54 catches, 858 yards and an amazing 11 TDs. Robinson became the red-zone target, more than typical goal-line favorite Jason Witten.

Mario Manningham, New York Giants

Giants wideout Mario Manningham had a touchdown grab against the 49ers in the NFC Championship.
Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

He never topped 100 yards in a game this past season. But he has the skills and pedigree to be a good wide receiver with a long career. And the 49ers know him well.

Mario Manningham, of the New York Giants, may not have had the stats this season to warrant a big deal, but that might come at San Francisco’s price point.

Manningham has had around 60 grabs for between 800 and 900 receiving yards in the two seasons prior the 2011. In only 12 games this past season, the 25-year-old fourth-year pro had 39 receptions and only 523 yards and four scores.

But here’s what should be taken into account. Manningham’s quarterback—Eli Manning—likes to spread the ball around. With mainstay Hakeem Nicks, a up-and-coming Victor Cruz, to go along with Jake Ballard, Ahmad Bradshaw, DJ Ware and others, Manningham has to share the rock.

And he burned the 49ers secondary for a go-ahead score in the fourth quarter of the NFC Championship recently.

Manningham, like Laurent Robinson, may not be a No. 1 wideout, but he can add depth to a receiving corps that desperately needs it.