Story by
Ex-49ers RB says team should trade for this struggling 1st-rounder
- Story by
- Ex-49ers RB says team should trade for this struggling 1st-rounder
Raheem Mostert knows what a good San Francisco offense looks like, and he thinks he has found the piece the current one is missing. The former 49ers running back named Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. as a fit for the Niners' wide receiver room.
"I'm thinking about the San Francisco 49ers . I think that'll be a great fit for him with Mike Evans ," Mostert said on CBS Sports HQ . "We'll see what that injury entails, but … I think it'll be a perfect fit. He can go off the top, he can make plays at the end of the day. And that's something the San Francisco 49ers are going to need, too. They can't just rely on Deebo [Samuel], or [George] Kittle , or Juice — Kyle Juszczyk , or even Christian [ McCaffrey ]. They need to rely on another person."
He's right: San Francisco's receiver room needs help. De'Zhaun Stribling, Ricky Pearsall and Demarcus Robinson are all out for the time being, Christian Kirk remains on injured reserve, and Evans is managing a rib injury. The Niners signed Brandin Cooks and Dante Pettis , which leaves Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins as the only other healthy options at receiver alongside Samuel.
Advertisement
Thomas would arrive with some baggage, though, given his recent downward trajectory. Jacksonville drafted the LSU product 23rd overall in 2024, and he answered with 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning a Pro Bowl nod and a fourth-place finish in Offensive Rookie of the Year voting. Last season he slipped to 48 receptions for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games. This year he has seven catches on 13 targets for 88 yards through three games, with no touchdowns.
That is a steep drop, but Mostert's point is that a receiver with Thomas' size and deep-ball skill could be a good fit for a San Francisco group that has lost most of its depth.
The one thing Mostert didn't mention was what it would cost to acquire Thomas. He's a former first-rounder with a 1,200-yard season under his belt and in the third year of his rookie deal. That's not a bad resume, even if he's declined in production. It might take a mid-round pick to secure Thomas, and that might be too big a price for the 49ers to pay at this moment.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Ex-49ers RB says team should trade for this struggling 1st-rounder
