Two of the biggest items on the 49ers’ to-do list for the offseason pertain to their own wide receivers.
First, the 49ers next week might have to make a decision on restricted free agent Jauan Jennings, whom the club would like to secure with a multi-year contract extension.
Down the line, San Francisco has to work out something with Brandon Aiyuk, who has become the 49ers’ top wide receiver and one of the best in the NFL.
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And when the topic of difficult decisions is broached with the costs of rising contracts, the 49ers also have to enact a plan for their future with Deebo Samuel.
Here is a closer look at the situations surrounding their top three wide receivers:
Brandon Aiyuk
A year ago, the 49ers picked up the fully guaranteed fifth-year option of $14.124 million for the 2024 season. While Aiyuk could play for the 49ers this season on that contract, that is an option that neither side wants.
San Francisco 49ers
Why he should stay: Aiyuk and coach Kyle Shanahan both put in a lot of work to get to the point that Aiyuk is now one of the best receivers in the NFL. He had 75 receptions for 1,342 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Aiyuk works the middle of the field very well, and quarterback Brock Purdy makes those tough throws in traffic to enable Aiyuk to pop big gains. He averaged 17.9 yards per catch.
Aiyuk only is 25 years old and he takes good care of his body, so he figures to be a good player for a long time.
If the 49ers sign him to a multi-year extension — let’s say four years, $100 million — it can be structured in a way to significantly lowers his cap figure for the upcoming season.
Why he should go: If the sides are far from agreement on Aiyuk’s worth, the 49ers could trade him. That move would shed Aiyuk’s cap costs for this year. The 49ers could receive valuable draft picks that could lead to a talented, less-expensive wide receiver and, likely, a potential starter at another position.
Jauan Jennings
Jennings, 26, was a seventh-round draft pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The 49ers waived him before the start of his rookie season, and he was brought back to the practice squad.
As a three-year veteran, Jennings is scheduled to be a restricted free agent. If the 49ers are unable to reach an agreement on a multi-year contract, they have a decision to make early next week.
They can place a tender of $3 million on Jennings that gives the 49ers only the right of first refusal. If he were to sign an offer sheet with another team, the 49ers would have the option of matching the terms of the contract to retain him.
The other levels of tenders are the second round at $4.978 million and the first round at $6.9 million. Those figures represent the compensation the 49ers would receive if they declined to match an offer sheet from another team.
Why he should stay: Jennings is a tough-minded, tough-playing wide receiver who makes an impact even when the ball is not in his hands.
He is a good fit for the 49ers’ offense as the No. 3 receiver. He does not catch a lot of passes, but he is a reliable target to move the chains. Thus, the phrase, "Third and Jauan."
The 49ers simply do not have a lot of depth at wide receiver, and there is a big drop-off after Jennings.
Why he should go: Perhaps, his value will never be greater than right now. He would have been in the conversation for Super Bowl LVIII MVP if the 49ers had held onto their overtime lead against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Is Jennings worth a second-round tender? Or would that $5 million be better spent elsewhere? If another team signs Jennings to an offer sheet, that team will structure the deal to make it highly unlikely the 49ers would match.
Deebo Samuel
If the 49ers were to trade Samuel this offseason, it would mean San Francisco would carry $21.7 in dead money this year. But it would create $6.9 million in cap room. Also, his contract would be wiped completely off the books for 2025.
Samuel currently is scheduled to count $28.6 million on the cap this year and $24.2 million next year.
Why he should stay: Samuel is the one player over the past three seasons who has made the 49ers’ offense so unique with his ability as a receiver and runner.
After missing four games in 2022 and not being anywhere near as explosive as he had been in the past, Samuel had a bounce-back season in 2023.
His average reception dropped from 18.2 yards in 2021 to 11.3 in 2022. It moved up to 14.9 yards per reception last year, as he caught 60 passes for 892 yards and seven touchdowns.
Samuel averaged 6.1 yards per rushing attempt and scored five touchdowns last season on the ground after his production as a runner dropped to 5.5 yards and three touchdowns in 2022. Samuel is a tone-setter on both sides of the ball with his hard-charging style.
Why he should go: Bill Walsh, the late Hall of Fame coach, often said it is better to part ways with a good player a year too early rather than a year too late.
Samuel does not turn down hits. He takes a beating. He played only nine snaps in the divisional round game against Green Bay due to a shoulder injury.
So how much longer can he play at a high level?
Also, the 49ers will have to make some difficult decisions to account for rising costs and some big contracts in the future. A year from now, Purdy will be in line to become the team’s highest-paid player.
The 49ers can kick the can down the road and deal with Samuel's situation when the answer becomes more obvious or they could investigate the trade market to see if they can get something big in return this offseason.
Free-agent options
If the 49ers believe it is going to be difficult for each of their top three receivers to return this season, here are some players to consider when free agency opens next week:
Kendrick Bourne: The 49ers could look into the possibility of bringing back Bourne, who played his first four NFL seasons with the organization. He spent the last three years with the New England Patriots, catching 127 passes for 1,640 yards and 10 touchdowns.
His recovery from a torn ACL is going well, he told NBC Sports Bay Area last month at the Super Bowl. He was on pace for his best season before the injury.
Curtis Samuel: A six-year pro, Samuel is coming off a season in which he caught 62 passes for 613 yards and four touchdowns with Washington. He averaged more than $11 million per season on his last contract, and that price tag should come down a little this time around.
Darnell Mooney: He is smaller in stature than what the 49ers generally want from their wide receivers. Mooney showed some production despite being with the Chicago Bears. His best season was 2021, when he caught 81 passes for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns.
Laviska Shenault: He had a couple of 600-yard seasons with Jacksonville in his first two years in the NFL before going to Carolina in a trade and disappearing. He appeared in only eight games last season before going on injured reserve with an ankle injury, so he figures to be available on a reasonable contract.