The San Francisco 49ers had one of the largest spending deficits in the history of NFL off-seasons. But at least one outlet expects the Niners to get in the mix to sign at least one more marquee offensive player before training camps open in July.
The Niners were linked to wide receiver Keenan Allen by Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton, who noted the team could be short at least two wideouts when the season opens.
The 49ers traded Swiss Army-knife wideout Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders and released Kyle Juszczyk, who had 200 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2024. They also added only two wide receivers in the draft but only in the fourth and seventh rounds.
That leaves an opening for a veteran wideout, especially with the Niners still in win-now mode. San Francisco just re-upped quarterback Brock Purdy to a five-year, $265 million contract and tight end George Kittle just signed a huge extension, plus All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey expects to be back to full form in 2025.
Hence why the Niners should target Allen, who was listed as one of the Moton’s top-10 free agents he “can’t believe hasn’t signed a contract with a new team yet.”
Should The 49ers Sign Keenan Allen?
That question can only truly be answered by 49ers general manager John Lynch, though the case laid about by Moton is compelling.
“The 49ers could open the season without Brandon Aiyuk, who is recovering from a torn ACL and MCL. According to [Lynch], Demarcus Robinson might be subject to a three-week suspension,” he wrote. “With the absence of Aiyuk and uncertainty around Robinson, Allen would be a solid fit to round out three-receiver sets alongside Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall.
“He’s also an upgrade over Robinson and would allow the 49ers to slowly ease Aiyuk back into action.”
Allen is a veteran, who spent the first 11 seasons with the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers before they traded him to the Bears. He had one of the worst seasons of his pro career — he had 499 more yards and the same number of receiving touchdowns (7) despite playing two fewer games in 2023 than 2024.
Still, Allen would have been second on the 49ers in touchdowns last year, and his 744 yards would have been good for third on the 49ers behind only Jennings and tight end George Kittle.
Who Else Should Sign Keenan Allen?
The 49ers may want to sign the veteran and hard-nosed wideout, especially if they can get him to a team-friendly deal — though this is the first time Allen has hit the open market, and he may want to cash in.
But the 49ers should also expect to have competition for Allen’s services. The Dallas Cowboys were linked to Allen before they acquired George Pickens from the Steelers, and Moton also cites the New York Jets as a potential club that may want to sign the vet as a second option to star No. 1 receiver Garrett Wilson.
“At 33, Keenan Allen can still help a playoff contender or young quarterback with his reliable hands and ability to find the end zone once his team reaches the red zone,” Moton wrote. “He moved the chains for a first down on about 61 percent of his receptions.
“If teams can look beyond Allen’s age, he can be a dependable No. 2 option in a passing attack.”
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