Where will Jauan Jennings end up, top WRs?

SANTA CLARA – The smart money isn’t on the 49ers using free agency to restock their receiver pool.

Still, Brock Purdy needs to throw to someone, and the offense needs to give him speed to keep defenses honest in filling in for Christian McCaffrey.

This is not limited to Jauan Jennings and whether the 49ers will re-sign him before or after others come in for him on March 9, when contract negotiations can be opened to free agents.

And this isn’t all about Brandon Aiyuk’s eventual exit, be it in the form of a release, trade, or perhaps retirement, which he appears to have done last season by leaving the 49ers in the middle of the season.

This is about allocating resources, which are in great demand elsewhere, while you may be shopping for the recipient. They can only hope Ricky Pearsall, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing are all out after injury-filled games, and that Demarcus Robinson’s 111-yard burst in their wild-card win over the Eagles was a sign of more to come.

While drafting a wide receiver seems like a foregone conclusion, that won’t happen for about two months. Instead, there’s buzz about free agency — here are 10 wide receivers to watch, whether the 49ers are in line to acquire them or not:

1. JAUAN JENNINGS

The last training camp suspension didn’t bring the expensive extension he was looking for, and a career-high nine touchdown catches may not be possible either. The franchise mark of $28 million is steep, even if the 49ers freed up $27 million by shedding Aiyuk’s 2026 guarantees. Jennings’ value shouldn’t be based on quantity (see: 55 catches for 643 yards last season) but rather quality (see: 69 third-down conversions, and the physicality, modesty that leaves a defensive back.).

Prediction: Signs elsewhere

2. JUSTIN JEFFERSON

Trading away arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver is not a smart way for the Minnesota Vikings to solve their quarterback problem. Jefferson still has two years of a four-year extension, so a cap hit of $39 million would be bad. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, who was fired as general manager of the Vikings, has rejoined the 49ers’ front office, bringing more intrigue to a potential deal. The trade packages in 2021 (to move up to No. 3 for Trey Lance) and 2022 (to trade for McCaffrey) hurt the 49ers’ homegrown talent pool, which they are trying to fill.

Prediction: He lives in Minnesota

3. TYREEK HILL

The 49ers shouldn’t be forced to take a flier on Hill, and not because he sparked Kansas City’s 2019 Super Bowl win over the 49ers. He’s coming off a major knee injury, and the 49ers already have enough stars on the rebound (see: George Kittle, Nick Bosa, Fred Warner).

Prediction: Symptoms elsewhere, but during the season

4. MIKE EVANS

Has anyone from the Tampa Bay Bucs ring (John Lynch, general manager of the 49ers) lobbied to be honored by the Bucs? The 6-foot-5 Evans is entering his 13th season and will certainly be a good fit for the 49ers, or anyone for that matter. Injuries limited him to eight games last season at age 32, which sounds like the opposite of the traits the 49ers are looking for.

Prediction: He finishes his career in Tampa

5. DEEBO SAMUEL

He is five years removed from his All-Pro “wide back” role. Kittle, coach Kyle Shanahan and others may ensure that Samuel will succeed, but it appears that his time with the 49ers is over, unless they are desperate to rekindle that excitement.

Prediction: Signs somewhere else, maybe Atlanta or Carolina near his hometown of Inman, SC

6. ALEC PIERCE

The 49ers would love a deep threat, something they probably last had with Marquise Goodwin and want with Danny Gray, among others. Pierce led the NFL by averaging more than 21 yards per reception in each of the past two seasons. After four years in Indianapolis’ quarterback carousel, Pierce should be a hot commodity.

Prediction: $20 million a year or more from a team other than the 49ers

7. GEORGE’S ELECTORS

The Cowboys let defensive end Micah Parsons leave last season, and they wouldn’t be foolish enough to dump Pickens and break up the tight tandem with CeeDee Lamb. So, on Friday, they placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on Pickens, who can no longer negotiate with other teams.

Prediction: He plays the Cowboys’ $28 million tag, rather than the 49ers stealing him in a multi-year tag-and-trade deal like they did for Dee Ford in 2019.

8. AJ BROWN

Four years in Philly seems to be the end of Brown’s time there, after three in Tennessee sold him. He just seems too hot to get in with Purdy & Co.