The 49ers Need to Change What They Look for at Wide Receiver
So goodbye to the YAC bros.
The 49ers need to change what they look for at wide receiver this offseason. The days of searching high and low for glorified running backs who excel after the catch but don't run good routes or get themselves open effectively are over.
The YAC bros were for Jimmy Garoppolo because he was so limited and overrated. The 49ers couldn't trust him to hold the ball for more than a couple seconds without him doing something awful, so they acquired as many receivers as possible who could catch quick passes in the flat, break a bunch of tackles and run for big gains after the catch.
Yes, I'm talking Deebo Samuel.
He was a cheat code when he was younger. He could catch a short pass or a shovel pass or a pitch and take it to the house. Which means he was perfect for Garoppolo, because Garoppolo wasn't a precise passer. You couldn't trust him to throw the ball outside the numbers or more than 10 yards downfield. So he needed a wide receiver who could double as a running back.
Brock Purdy doesn't need a gimmick wide back.
Purdy is a legitimately good quarterback unlike Garoppolo. Purdy throws downfield with anticipation and accuracy unlike Garoppolo. Which means Purdy simply needs wide receivers who run good routes and get open versus man-to-man coverage.
That's not Samuel
That's Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. The 49ers need to get more wide receivers like those two. The 49ers don't need Deebo anymore.
