Could And Should The San Francisco 49ers Be Interested In WR Kenny Stills?

The San Francisco 49ers are in need of some bodies in the wide receivers room – could a pending free agent from Miami pique their interest?

In addition to a quarterback, the San Francisco 49ers are also in need of some reliable wide receivers for that quarterback to throw to – whoever the quarterback winds up being. At the moment, the 49ers have Torrey Smith under contract – and not much else to work with.

Though one idea posits that a reunion between Browns castoff Andrew Hawkins and former OC Kyle Shanahan could be a good thing, so too, could adding another offensive playmaker.

With the Miami Dolphins and Kenny Stills not likely to reach an agreement on a new deal, the wideout is very likely going to hit the open market – barring any eleventh-hour dramatics, that is. Stills is a burner, but is expendable because of the presence of Jarvis Landry and Davante Parker in Miami.

Although the Dolphins would have preferred to keep Stills in their offense, the economics dictate that it’s not very feasible. Especially when the market for his services very well may end up being around $12 million a season.

Although they have a steal in Parker for the next couple of seasons, they are going to need to pay Landry to keep him around. And not long after that, they’ll need to pay Parker. And given that they were the 1-2 punch in Miami’s offense, it makes sense.

But that also makes Stills expendable.

With 42 catches for 726 yards and nine touchdowns last season – as Miami’s third option – Stills is likely going to be looking for a more prominent role in a team’s offense. As well as the salary that goes along with it.

The 49ers have a ton of cap space this offseason – near $80 million by some estimates. Though they’ll need to spend on a quarterback at some point, having some pieces in place for that quarterback would be a good idea.

They have a powerful running game led by Carlos Hyde. And they have an absolutely undervalued and underutilized commodity in Torrey Smith. Adding a piece like Stills to the mix could help elevate the 49ers offense to a whole different level.

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And if they were to add a receiver like Hawkins to the slot, this San Francisco offense could be very, very good – and difficult to stop.

But it will all come down to the economics of it. Is $12 million a year – Stills’ anticipated price tag – too rich for GM John Lynch’s blood? The 49ers need some receiving help. Stills could provide just that.

It’s a situation that could potentially be worth watching once the free agency window opens.