Wide Receiver Market Heats Up as San Francisco 49ers Look to Get Busy

Multiple reports indicate that the San Francisco 49ers plan on bringing in a couple new weapons for Alex Smith in the passing game. Conclusions are being drawn that the defending NFC West Champions will pick one up via free agency and at the top of the 2012 NFL Draft.

They couldn't have picked a better time to upgrade the wide receiver position. The 2012 free-agent class is filled with No. 1 type guys that would immediately become Alex Smith's favorite target on the outside, easily surpassing Michael Crabtree.

The Philadelphia Eagles have made it clear that they plan to franchise DeSean Jackson with the obvious caveat being that they would be open to trading the enigmatic playmaker. A vast majority of 49ers fans would be against them bringing in the troubled young wide out. He doesn't seem to represent what the team is building chemistry wise in the locker room.

With that said, Jackson does fit the mold of what San Francisco is looking for at wide receiver. He can stretch the field with the best of them.

While the news that the Eagles plan to franchise Jackson doesn't seem to be too surprising, the following is: The Buffalo Bills and Stevie Johnson are far apart in contract negotiations and the team doesn't plan on using the franchise tag on the talented receiver.

Here is a young player that seems to make a lot of sense for the 49ers. While he has had some character issues, Johnson is a valuable young player on the outside. He can stretch the field, consistently gets separation at the line and has the looks of a true No.1 receiver.

Additionally, Johnson seems to overvalue what his contract should be. With the amazing crop of wide receivers in the free-agent market, money will be harder to come by because the leverage won't be there for the player and his agent. This could make Johnson somewhat of a steal in the grand scheme of things.

Somewhat unrealistic is the idea that Pittsburgh Steelers free agent Mike Wallace might actually have a new team in 2012. Normally, players in his situation are guaranteed to return to their team before hitting unrestricted free agency the following season. However, there are a lot of different factors playing into the idea that Wallace might actually bolt for greener pastures.

The Steelers currently stand $11 million over the cap, which puts them in an extremely vulnerable position right now. With San Francisco bound to be between $35-40 million under the cap when free agency starts, there is something to the idea that they could lure Walker away from the Steel City.

A long-term offer starting at about $10 million that is front-loaded, might actually be enough to realistically deny Pittsburgh the opportunity to match. San Francisco could be in position to front-load this contract, making it nearly impossible for the cash strapped Steelers to match. In fact, they are only one of a handful of teams that could do this.

Of course, there is a huge drawback to the idea of San Francisco making a play for Mike Wallace. They would have to surrender a first-round pick to Pittsburgh if the Steelers didn't match the offer. We all know how much Trent Baalke and Co. value their draft picks, so this could be an unrealistic option.

On the other hand, if San Francisco was hell bent on going wide receiver in the first round anyway, it makes more sense to get the proven No. 1 guy rather than taking a chance on a second-tier prospect.

Then you have the normal wide receivers that have been bandied about in 49er' circles since the season ended prematurely against the New York Giants in the NFC Championship Game. While it does appear that the Kansas City Chiefs are going to use the franchise tag on Dwayne Bowe, it is already concluded that the San Diego Chargers are going to let Vincent Jackson test the tree-agent market.

At this point, I would conclude that the 49ers would be the favorites to land Jackson if he is unable to come to agree on a long-term contract with the Chargers. San Francisco has the need and the money, they are a winning organization and the area isn't too shabby to live in. While my money is on Jackson re-signing with the Chargers, the 49ers will definitely be in the game if he bolts the Bolts.

Marques Colston also seems like a viable option for San Francisco. With Drew Brees and Carl Nicks both set to be free agents, I can almost guarantee you that the New Orleans Saints will let Colston test the open market. If so, you can expect the first call he receives to be from Trent Balke at 4949 Centennial Blvd.

So there you have it, some of the best receivers in the NFL hitting the open market at the exact time San Francisco has the need and the money to sign one. You can fully expect them to get a true No. 1 receiver via free agency and supplement that in the draft with a deep class at that position in April.