San Francisco 49ers: Hakeem Nicks to Visit with Team
In an effort to bolster an inexperienced group of wide receivers, the San Francisco 49ers are scheduled to meet with veteran wideout Hakeem Nicks on Monday, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reported.
The 49ers currently have eight wide receivers on their roster, with Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin being the clear top-two. Smith, who the 49ers signed earlier this offseason, spent the first four seasons of his career with the Baltimore Ravens, including two as Boldin’s teammate. Smith has 213 career receptions for 3,591 yards and 30 touchdowns.
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Boldin is entering his 13th year in the NFL, and his third wearing the red and gold. He has caught 940 balls for 12,406 yards and 70 scores. Since joining San Francisco, Boldin has been quarterback Colin Kaepernick‘s most reliable target, with 168 catches for 2,241 yards and 12 touchdowns over the past two years.
Behind those two, there is a lot of inexperience and more question marks.
Jerome Simpson is another offseason acquisition for the 49ers, and he brings a good amount of experience with him as well. He’s caught 145 passes and eight touchdowns in six seasons, but he didn’t play in 2014 after being suspended by the NFL because of multiple drug charges, and subsequently was released by the Minnesota Vikings.
Quinton Patton has played just 10 games since the 49ers drafted him in the fourth round of the 2013 draft, and has totaled six catches for 78 yards. Bruce Ellington caught six balls in 2014, his rookie year, including a pair of scores.
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Trindon Holliday has been a return specialist throughout his career, and has just two grabs in his career. Lance Louis has only one catch since being drafted in 2010. Chuck Jacobs spent 2014, also his rookie year, on injured reserved.
If signed, Nicks would bring a wealth of experience to the team. He’s entering his seventh NFL season since being drafted 29th overall out of the University of North Carolina in 2009 by the New York Giants.
While wearing the powder blue at UNC, Nicks caught 181 passes and 21 scores, both of which still stand as school records. In his senior year, he snagged 68 balls for 1,222 yards and 12 touchdowns.
After being drafted, Nicks spent five seasons in the Big Apple, and caught 311 passes for 4,622 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Nicks’ tenure in New York was marred by injuries, as he suffered through multiple foot and ankle ailments. He didn’t played a full season once, and played in 15 games just twice. He totaled back-to-back 1,000-plus yard seasons in 2010 and 2011, but has failed to reach that mark since.
Nicks spent 2014 with the Indianapolis Colts, and for the first time in his career, he played in all 16 regular season games, but took on a much lesser role behind receivers like Reggie Wayne and T.Y. Hilton. Nicks still managed to catch 38 passes, and score four times. He also played in all three playoff games for the Colts, catching six passes and a touchdown.
Nicks has been known as a great route runner throughout his career, and he could benefit from working with Boldin and Smith.
If the 49ers were to add Nicks, it wouldn’t be with the expectation that he would be the team’s number one receiver. He would add depth, experience, and provide a solid target for Kaepernick.