49ers could sign former Bills starter to address need at shaky position group

The San Francisco 49ers' wide receivers room is a mess and one analyst believes a former Buffalo Bills playmaker could help.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan and Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The San Francisco 49ers have a wide receiver problem with just weeks to go before the start of the 2025 campaign and a former Buffalo Bills' playmaker could be someone they target as a result.

San Francisco's group has multiple question marks. Brandon Aiyuk isn't expected back until Week 6, Jauan Jennings is dealing with a calf injury, hasn't practiced and is also unhappy with his contract, and Ricky Pearsall is currently slated to be the top receiver with those two sidelined but is unproven.

With all that going on in San Francisco, Yardbarker's Jose Esquer believes the Niners are the best fit for former Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper.

"Although the five-time Pro Bowl player is 31, he could return to form — especially considering he had back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons before 2024," Esquer wrote. "A receiver-needy team such as San Francisco, which is expected to be without Brandon Aiyuk (recovering from an ACL injury) for the first part of the season, makes sense."

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It is true that Cooper was a massive disappointment with the Bills, but he was also playing with a wrist injury that required surgery. Cooper opted not to have that surgery, Bills general manager Brandon Beane revealed.

Dec 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (18) catches a pass against Los Angeles Rams cornerback Darious Williams (24) during the second half at SoFi Stadium | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Before his arrival in Buffalo, Cooper had lackluster production with the Cleveland Browns, also. Deshaun Watson, however, was his quarterback, so enough said there.

Now, that doesn't mean Cooper won't decline in his age-31 season, but there is reason for optimism he'll bounce back.

Lest we forget, Cooper was one of the more reliable receivers in the NFL before 2024 and is just one season removed from a career-high 1,250 receiving yards in 2023.

At this point, even a diminished Cooper would be a huge help to San Fran's shaky receiving corps.

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He would immediately step into a starting role with Aiyuk sidelined, and assuming Jennings gets healthy and plays, Cooper would create a strong trio with the veteran wideout and Pearsall.

Cap space will not be an issue for the 49ers, either, especially when you consider that Cooper should come cheap after his lackluster 2024 campaign. Furthermore, he won't impact the team's financial situation in 2026, as he'll only get a one-year deal.

Long story short — the 49ers absolutely should consider signing Cooper, and sooner rather than later.

Dec 29, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (18) makes a catch for a touchdown against New York Jets cornerback Brandin Echols (26) during the second half at Highmark Stadium. | Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

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