The 2026 Free Agency Thread

[Riggo44]

I wonder if Peters is trying to build what the Packers and 9ers have done: build a good offense with fairly mediocre receivers

 

[Conn]

I wonder if Peters is trying to build what the Packers and 9ers have done: build a good offense with fairly mediocre receivers

I mean you say that, but until Aiyuk went cuckoo they had two late 1st round WR picks in recent years (after totally whiffing on a different 1st round WR a few years earlier), plus Deebo (former 36th overall pick) plus Jennings that they developed from the late rounds being like their 4th-5th option when everyone’s healthy, plus top-3 TE Kittle developed from round 5, and traded for the best receiving RB in modern history in CMC, also a bellcow in general.

Modern Packers finally spent a 1st on a WR last year, used to be known for spending copious 2nds on the position, in recent years have a spread of mid round and higher guys (up to 2nd round, higher pedigree than ours) in the pipeline despite not having a true Alpha guy. TE as well, multiple guys with better pedigrees than ours who all contribute. RB’s with higher pedigrees who contributed in a rotation over time.

Both teams that have invested a ton more into their skill positions than we have, while also doing a better job of pinpointing and developing mid-late round skill position talent alongside the pedigreed guys. So I don’t think they’re good examples of what you’re saying.

Not to mention the very idea of trying to get your QB to succeed on hard mode, if that’s what they were purposely doing, is just an interesting philosophy (interesting = derogatory in this instance)

 

[prodigy]

I wasn't too hot on Jennings, in general, but I wouldn't have minded him at that price. still, I view him as a high end #3 more than a #2 that others view him here...so that's a a decent chunk for a #3. we already have too many #3 and #4 receivers on our roster.

 

[method man]

I wasn't too hot on Jennings, in general, but I wouldn't have minded him at that price. still, I view him as a high end #3 more than a #2 that others view him here...so that's a a decent chunk for a #3. we already have too many #3 and #4 receivers on our roster.

Why do you view him as a #3 vs a #2? He basically had a 1K season a season ago

 

[Riggo44]

The fact remains that they spent first rounders on fairly mediocre receivers, which is a problem the 9ers have had in the draft. Warren Sharp had a very interesting article on how badly they reach every draft.

We'll really need our young receivers to step forward.

 

[Conn]

I wasn't too hot on Jennings, in general, but I wouldn't have minded him at that price. still, I view him as a high end #3 more than a #2 that others view him here...so that's a a decent chunk for a #3. we already have too many #3 and #4 receivers on our roster.

Up to $13M means it’s likely less with incentives. He would absolutely be a starting WR here (and if Williams beat him out for snaps, that’s a good problem to have).

1 year up to $13M is not expensive for this sort of player. We’re sitting on a zillion dollars, they just decided they didn’t want him at all and will wait on Aiyuk.

That decision could determine their futures here, depending on how the offense performs and how the season plays out. Let’s hope they’re right about depending on the Aiyuk addition.

 

[prodigy]

Why do you view him as a #3 vs a #2? He basically had a 1K season a season ago

force fed the ball and was still, realistically, a #2 behind Kittle on a depleted team with without Aiyuk, Deebo in Fat-Deebo mode, and no CMC. Kyle knows how to manufacture touches. I'm not saying I think he's trash, but I view him as being a tier below someone like Jakobi Meyers.

 

[prodigy]

Up to $13M means it’s likely less with incentives. He would absolutely be a starting WR here (and if Williams beat him out for snaps, that’s a good problem to have).

1 year up to $13M is not expensive for this sort of player. We’re sitting on a zillion dollars, they just decided they didn’t want him at all and will wait on Aiyuk.

That decision could determine their futures here, depending on how the offense performs and how the season plays out. Let’s hope they’re right about depending on the Aiyuk addition.

true, missed the "up to" part.

 

[Conn]

The fact remains that they spent first rounders on fairly mediocre receivers, which is a problem the 9ers have had in the draft. Warren Sharp had a very interesting article on how badly they reach every draft.

We'll really need our young receivers to step forward.

Don’t disagree, I’ve been killing them for their reaches and horrible value picks for years. It actually worried me a bit that Peters came from there, but I hoped he was a part of some of the massive hits they HAVE had, at least. And he spent time with the Pats when Belichick would have some wild reaches, but they’d also hit HUGE on some picks. So that has given me hope, and his reputation as a guy with own excellent eye for talent (which his previous teams didn’t necessarily need to bow down to on draft weekend).

So anyways, you’re not wrong. But I’m talking about the investments they’ve made, not whether the picks hit or not. They’ve done a LOT more attempting to surround their QB’s with talent. They haven’t purposely built good rosters with mediocre WR’s as you said maybe AP is copying. That’s been the outcome (though I don’t fully agree on that) but not the intent or a reflection of actual resource expenditure. So that’s not how AP has rolled so far in three offseasons.

 

[Riggo44]

So that’s not how AP has rolled so far in three offseasons.

Well I'd rather not spend exorbitant resources for mediocre results.

For example, Id much rather have Conerly and Tunsil than Pearsall and Stribling.

 

[Conn]

Well I'd rather not spend exorbitant resources for mediocre results.

For example, Id much rather have Conerly and Tunsil than Pearsall and Stribling.

Can’t disagree on that point.

Simply saying AP isn’t trying to emulate what the 49ers have done as to spending resources on skill players, or he’d have prioritized it a lot more. Which arguably in a vacuum is fine as we’re apparently rebuilding/retooling after being ahead of schedule in 2024 and they’re not, they’ve generally been consistent contenders for a while. It’ll have to change eventually unless he starts hitting a lot more successfully on the mid-late round swings at WR/TE/RB. Plenty of time can be bought for that to happen as he continues to get his GM sea legs under him, if we are successful enough in the interim to keep people employed. To me that’s why this offseason, and the choices made, are so heavily weighted with where we’re at with the coaching staff/new hires, etc. It feels like a HUGE pivot point for this regime

 

[Riggo44]

Can’t disagree on that point.

Well, I made this point with SIP. The 9ers are able to whiff on receivers because they haven't had to rebuild their OL. I mean if we were able to get Tunsil for a 3rd and a 5th, hypothetically, in no way is that a reference to any specific assface, we're better able to stack talent at receiver.

Peters did attempt to bring in better talent in Pierce and Doubs. For better or worse, I wonder if Peters thinks Burks, Lane, LMC, Williams are going to be better this year than the Mooneys, Kirks, and Austins of the league

 

[Dlts20]

I thought Jennings would have been a great fit, and at that money? AP knows him so I guess I’ll defer, admittedly I’ve been saying that a lot so I hope he’s right… I’m not liking continuing to say it.

Perfect way to sum it up. And to think that they already have Jefferson and Addison but still wanted to add more. I'm banking on them again knowing where Aiyuk is at and that AP is still a great terms with Kyle and Lynch so he knows the time table. That has to be true.......... Right?

 

[Dlts20]

Also, if you talk to Niners fans, a lot of them think that the receivers are a product of the system. Kyle gets Jennings easy, wide open catches with the scheme. The other guy who does that is Ben Johnson.

That's why Blough is more important than any of these signings. We have to hit on him, more than we do the players. If he schemes it up right, then a lot of these guys can be successful. I think that if Terry and Chig stay healthy, then we will have a good offense regardless

 

[prodigy]

Also, if you talk to Niners fans, a lot of them think that the receivers are a product of the system. Kyle gets Jennings easy, wide open catches with the scheme. The other guy who does that is Ben Johnson.

That's why Blough is more important than any of these signings. We have to hit on him, more than we do the players. If he schemes it up right, then a lot of these guys can be successful. I think that if Terry and Chig stay healthy, then we will have a good offense regardless

that's how I feel about it. but...don't get me wrong, Jennings would be a #2 on our team, if he signed with us, immediately. however, imo, that's more a product of how subpar our wr corps is. on any team with a relatively decent wr room, Jennings would be the "ideal #3" type, depending on what they require of their receivers. I will also say that, the longer it takes to get aiyuk in the building, the more I would've preferred having Jennings.

 

[Riggo44]

Probably means nothing...

 

[Primus Porcus]

Probably means nothing...

Diggs and Diggs would annoy me, but they would undoubtedly improve our roster. Not my favorite choice (of course price being the ultimate factor), but they both instantly improve both position groups if we bring them in.

 

[NickyJ]

So 1 year $13M (up to $13M even!) in the end, and low interest from us (which was apparent)

If Aiyuk isn’t healthy and fully integrated into this offense and productive by October, this regime will have a lot to answer for if we aren’t a playoff team. They may have bet their jobs on this situation

Also the implication that if we’d gotten Doubs, we would’ve potentially then passed on seriously pursuing Chig…is worrying. I worry this FO doesn’t have a clue and that offense/skill positions are a serious blind spot for them for whatever reason.

You already mentioned it yourself, but I'm repeating it for the people in the back because I'm floored more by Chig-Doubs admission than by Washington letting a cheap WR walk because he wasn't offering to pay us to play here.

The only reason the team took Chig, the younger version of Ertz, is because they missed on Doubs. If they had gotten Doubs, what the hell was their plan at TE? Is that secretly an endorsement that they think Sinnott is taking an astronomical leap from being unable to displace the jogger last year to making Chig redundant if there's another pass catcher on the team this year?

I'm losing my mind here.

 

[Faithful Fan]

Well, I made this point with SIP. The 9ers are able to whiff on receivers because they haven't had to rebuild their OL. I mean if we were able to get Tunsil for a 3rd and a 5th, hypothetically, in no way is that a reference to any specific assface, we're better able to stack talent at receiver.

What, you don’t think a 5th and future 3rd is enough for a Hall of Fame LT in his prime? I’m still bitter about that one. Tunsil is great but Trent is one of the greatest of all time.

 

[Dlts20]

You already mentioned it yourself, but I'm repeating it for the people in the back because I'm floored more by Chig-Doubs admission than by Washington letting a cheap WR walk because he wasn't offering to pay us to play here.

The only reason the team took Chig, the younger version of Ertz, is because they missed on Doubs. If they had gotten Doubs, what the hell was their plan at TE? Is that secretly an endorsement that they think Sinnott is taking an astronomical leap from being unable to displace the jogger last year to making Chig redundant if there's another pass catcher on the team this year?

I'm losing my mind here.

I am going to hope that Keim just worded it wrong and meant focus on Chig exclusively. I think that it was clear that they wanted a TE. Was he their first choice? I don't know.

Maybe they wanted someone a little bigger who could block a little better but I am hoping that it was just taken out of context. With that being said, he was a pretty late signing so who knows?