49ers Rumors

Where 49ers rank on list of potential Adams trade suitors

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It is possible Davante Adams has played his final game with the Raiders.

It seems far less likely his next game will be as a member of the 49ers.

Whenever there’s a chance a high-profile player is on the move, fans of every team want to know the possibility of that player coming to their town.

The Raiders have informed teams around the league that they are open to trading Adams, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Tuesday, citing sources, after Adams reportedly requested a trade.

So, of course, some 49ers fans want to know if there’s any chance the Palo Alto High grad, a six-time Pro Bowl player, could be coming back to the Bay Area.

Let's be honest: The 49ers rank far, far down the list of teams in need of a shakeup at wide receiver.

After all, the club recently signed Brandon Aiyuk to a five-year, $134.1 million contract that included an already-paid $23 million signing bonus. The deal is structured in a way that does not adversely impact the 49ers’ salary cap until the 2027 season.

Meanwhile, Adams' contract includes pay of more than $17 million this year, $36 million next year and $37 million in 2026. Those numbers can be restructured, of course, but it does not seem worth the hassle.

After all, the 49ers have many other ways to put that future money to work for them.

Most notably, quarterback Brock Purdy is eligible for a new contract in the offseason. He currently is the 46th-highest-paid player on the team. Purdy will become one of the top-paid players in the NFL with his next contract.

The 49ers also have a list of scheduled free agents who figure to cash in: cornerbacks Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, linebacker Dre Greenlaw, safety Talanoa Hufanga and guard Aaron Banks.

The 49ers do not have a need at wide receiver.

Even if Aiyuk’s production has landed below expectations through the first four games of the season, the 49ers have to feel as if they’re in good shape at wide receiver without devoting any more salary-cap space for a 31-year-old player.

Deebo Samuel is under contract through the 2025 season. With running back Christian McCaffrey out indefinitely with Achilles tendinitis in both legs, Samuel provides even more value to the 49ers due to his ability to line up in the backfield, too.

The team’s third receiver, Jauan Jennings, has gotten off to an amazing start. He ranks fourth in the NFL with 364 yards receiving. He has 21 receptions on 27 targets from Purdy.

Moreover, the 49ers hope to soon get first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall on the field.

The 49ers selected Pearsall at No. 31 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft due to his refined route-running skills and ability to beat man coverage. He spent the first four weeks of the regular season on the reserve/non-football injury list after sustaining a gunshot wound on Aug. 31.

Incredibly, Pearsall soon might resume practicing with the intent of sliding into the team’s rotation as the No. 4 wide receiver.

So it appears obvious that adding a high-priced veteran wide receiver new to Kyle Shanahan's system is not exactly high on the list of priorities for 49ers general manager John Lynch.

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