San Francisco 49ers May Try To Add Record-Breaking Receiver

You wouldn’t think the San Francisco 49ers would have a problem at wide receiver with their current roster, but an issue may arise within the next year, if not sooner.

Brandon Aiyuk is entering the final year of his deal, and the 49ers may not be able to afford him. Aiyuk has made it clear that he isn’t taking any hometown discounts, which has created speculation that San Francisco may end up trading Aiyuk before next season.

On top of that, Deebo Samuel has had difficulty staying healthy.

Does that mean the Niners may look to select a wide out with their first-round draft pick?

During a recent appearance on the No Huddle podcast, ESPN analyst Matt Miller laid out the possibility and named Texas’ Xavier Worthy as a potential candidate for the club at No. 31.

Worthy set an NFL record by running a 4.21-second 40-yard dash at the Scouting Combine in February, and Miller specifically noted that Worthy could represent a great Aiyuk replacement.

The 20-year-old is coming off of a 2023 campaign in which he hauled in 75 receptions for 1,014 yards and five touchdowns.

Worthy arrived at Texas in 2021, and in his first season with the Longhorns, he caught 62 passes for 981 yards and 12 scores. He followed that up by snaring 60 balls for 760 yards while reaching the end zone nine times during his sophomore year.

Even if the 49ers plan to hold on to Aiyuk long term, they still may want to explore the idea of drafting Worthy, as they lack reliable depth behind Aiyuk and Samuel.

San Francisco went 12-5 this past season, capturing its second straight NFC West division title. The Niners then proceeded to make it all the way to the Super Bowl before falling to the Kansas City Chiefs.