We are entering NFL Combine week, which means the machinations of deals are underway in Indianapolis. Free agency has realistically already begun, and the 49ers have some obvious things to sort out.
But there are also some less obvious ways they can improve, especially on special teams. Here’s a look at some options:
Wide receiver and kick/punt returner depth
These two groups are listed together because it provides a very reasonable opportunity for the 49ers to kill two birds with one stone.
They have their receiver trio intact in Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings, with Jennings reprising the Kendrick Bourne, tough blocker and slot menace role.
But what was missing last season was a burner; a guy with true, take-the-top-off speed. Aiyuk has that ability, but he’s already viewed as the team’s deep threat and with Lance, that deep third of the field will become a more consistent target.
Kyle Shanahan tried to find some value with Travis Benjamin, who had some success in the preseason, highlighted by that fantastic touchdown catch, but he finished with zero receptions on five targets last year.
There are some players with the sort of speed necessary to fill that role that wouldn’t be great returners, and some returners that don’t have burner speed. Ideally you’d find both.
One burner guy, who has been a perpetual disappointment since the Bengals picked him up, is John Ross. We all remember his absurd 4.22-second 40-yard dash, and he’s not going to have a robust market. He was a stellar kickoff returner in college, but has taken just one to the house in the NFL, which came last season with the Giants.
Still, after a down third year with Cincinnati, he was more involved with the Giants last season, catching 11 passes for 224 yards with an average of 16.8 yards per reception on those catches, emphasizing his deep role. He’s worth a flier.
The return options available on the market are fairly enticing, with the likes of Ray-Ray McCloud, Chester Rodgers and the older Andre Roberts.
Jakeem Grant is probably the best option, and just spent the Pro Bowl getting clowned by Deebo Samuel for his 5’7″ height. He’s not ever going to be a prime target, especially because of that height, but he’s had at least 11 catches in each of the last four seasons in addition to his five combined return touchdowns over that span.
He’d be the most enticing option. San Francisco could also look to poach the Jets’ Braxton Berrios, who was outstanding on returns, which was highlighted by his 102-yard kick return touchdown. He was heavily involved with a similar scheme, where he had 46 receptions last season, and was named a first-team All Pro on special teams. But you’d imagine the Jets, who have more money to spend, would match the 49ers’ bid. He’s also not quite the over-the-top threat you’d probably want.
Both Deonte Harris, who would be an even better option than Grant in the receiving game, and Gunner Olszewski — the Patriots’ special team stud — are restricted free agents.
Punter
Mitch Wishnowsky isn’t a terrible punter. He’s pretty average by most metrics, which at this point, is something of a disappointment given the fourth-round price tag he came with. He entered as a Richard Hightower selection, based on a belief that his ability to use multiple punts, especially difficult-to-catch ones, would make punt returners’ jobs a nightmare.
That’s a difficult thing to value, but the fact that the season ended with a 39-year-old Robbie Gould on kickoffs, with about 42 percent going for touchbacks, is a fairly concerning sign.
Wishnowsky still has a year left on his deal, but my proposal is — if he’s available — for the 49ers to draft San Diego State punter Matt Araiza in the fourth round and have him compete with Wishnowsky for the starting job. If Wishnowsky wins it, you extend him. If Araiza does, you have a cheap punter with a higher upside than your previous one for the last four years.
This is outside of the box for a reason. Wishnowsky is fine, but he’s underwhelming by many metrics and the 49ers’ entire special teams unit was objectively poor, ranking seventh-worst in DVOA, per Football Outsiders.
He didn’t have a big leg in college, but he made it extremely difficult to catch his punts. Just 10 of his 59 punts were returned for 48 total yards. If you’re looking at that area generally as a reflection of how easy a punter makes it to return his punts, then Wishnowsky has Araiza by a wide margin.
Araiza had 22 of his 79 punts returned for 251 total yards. That’s 4.8 yards per return from Wishnowsky’s punts to 11.41 yards per return on Araiza’s.
But fully crediting a punter for the result of returns is a foolhardy way to look at those results. And even considering those returns, Araiza’s net average was 44.2 yards to Wishnowsky’s 41.0 net.
The point of this is to say that Araiza has a rocket attached to his leg.
Here’s how he compares to Wishnowsky in their final years of college:
Wishnowsky in 2018:
- 59 punts, 24 inside the 20: 40.7 percent
- Avg. of 45.2 yards, long of 68
- 10 returned, 48 yards
Araiza in 2021:
- 79 punts, 37 inside the 20: 46.8 percent.
- Avg. of 51.2 yards, long of 86
- 22 returned, 251 yards
When the 49ers are backed up to punt in difficult situations, he would clearly give them an opportunity to switch the field. Given Kyle Shanahan’s proclivity towards leaning on his defense and punting the ball, Araiza could be a major value. He’s also a near lock to force touchbacks on every single kickoff, which is necessary when your kicker is about to be 40.
Araiza’s long-term and immediate upside is massive, and it’s not like he’s a slouch either. He shows comfortability hitting players, which is a legitimate asset giving how aggressive Wishnowsky is in that area.
Tight end
This is probably not a major priority. You’ve got George Kittle and Charlie Woerner, who was stellar last season in the blocking game and less impressive as a receiver.
You’re rarely going to keep more than three tight ends on the roster, and the 49ers were stashing Tanner Hudson on the practice squad as a rotation option, too.
But Kyle Shanahan has long shown some interest in finding a stellar second tight end to pair with George Kittle and he hasn’t quite been able to make that dream a reality.
Austin Hooper was too expensive, Jordan Reed too injured, and Woerner hasn’t made it all that clear he’s ever going to be consistent, viable receiving threat.
The problem with trying to upgrade at the tight end spot is that Kittle is entering the real money years of his deal, when he’ll cost $16 million, $16.3 million and $18 million over the next three seasons, respectively.
It’s hard to make a compelling argument that it’s worth bringing even a mid-level free agent tight end with Kittle’s cap hits, especially given all the other mega extension money the 49ers have brewing.
The upside, though, is that you could look at the position not like a backup tight end, but like a third or fourth wide receiver with positive blocking chops. With a Trey Lance offense, might you want to have two capable receiving tight ends on the field at the same time?
There are some fairly enticing names, with the Packers’ Robert Tonyan and the Cardinals’ Maxx Williams two of the best fits in terms of blocking and receiving capability, but with both coming off ACL tears, and likely to be out of the 49ers’ price range.
But it’s a fairly long free agent list, with some high-upside, low floor types like Evan Engram, or veteran receiving options like Jared Cook and Hayden Hurst.
Still, as promising as some of those names are, it’s difficult to see the 49ers spending much more than the minimum on adding depth there, which is why the draft — with nine picks and a likely 10th coming from Jimmy Garoppolo’s impending trade — feels a more likely option.
We’ll get more into the draft over the coming weeks, but one option I’m infatuated with is Ohio State’s Jeremy Ruckert, who could have declared for and been drafted last season,.
An athletic, Big Ten tight end whose offense limited his receiving production? Yes please. Ruckert has nonsensically soft hands for a tight end and wasn’t targeted all that often in Ohio State’s vaunted offense because it’s, well, Ohio State’s vaunted offense. They had Jackson Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson, so Ruckert fell behind them in the pecking order.
Ruckert would be an outstanding addition who could be sort of the receiving foil to Woerner’s blocking bona fides.
Ross Dwelley almost completely fell out of the rotation with Woerner’s improvement, but in the past he’d provided some value as a receiver, usually with a stunning catch or two every few games. Ruckert has that eye-popping catch potential, but he’s coming out much more polished, far more athletic and from an elite program.