The San Francisco 49ers have made it clear they won't be making major financial moves in free agency this offseason. Instead, general manager John Lynch and company are focused on replenishing the roster through the 2025 NFL Draft after several key departures.
However, acquiring a veteran contributor isn't out of the question if the price is right, especially as unsigned veterans may lower their asking price the longer they remain on the market.
San Francisco traded away wide receiver Deebo Samuel and signed former Los Angeles Rams wideout Demarcus Robinson. The team is also expected to add another receiver in the draft. Still, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer believes one veteran receiver could be a good fit for head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense—Stefon Diggs (h/t Peter Panacy of Niner Noise).
Breer points out that Diggs willingly took on a reduced role last season with the Houston Texans, largely due to the young talent in their receiving corps.
However, a potential downside is that Diggs is coming off an ACL injury suffered in late October. The 49ers already have one veteran receiver recovering from an October ACL injury—Brandon Aiyuk. Would they really want to take on another?
Still, Breer believes Diggs has proven he can be a team player, even without being the focal point of an offense. Additionally, Diggs posted six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons before last season and totaled 29 touchdown receptions from 2021 to 2023.
In 2024, Diggs finished with 47 catches for 486 yards, three receiving touchdowns, and a rushing touchdown before suffering his injury. While Breer acknowledges that Diggs is unlikely to be fully cleared until "at least" training camp, he can still contribute in 2025.
"The best place for him, it seems, would be with a contender where he wouldn't have to be the guy, which would mitigate potential issues with his desire for the ball and also alleviate the frustration that losing can bring a guy with his sort of makeup," Breer wrote.
"Is that place out there for him? San Francisco would make sense, at the right price. Dallas might, too, with his brother (cornerback Trevon Diggs) already there."
As for past concerns about Diggs clashing with teammates, Breer reached out to several individuals who have worked with him, and all spoke highly of the veteran receiver.
"He can be mercurial," Breer noted. "He can get caught up in his emotions and his numbers. But ultimately, he's actually a really good guy who badly wants to win and works his butt off to do just that. Which, for the right team, should be manageable."
