San Francisco 49ers: Top 5 AAF players the team should target

1. Charles Johnson, WR

The 49ers need some major help at receiver and if they aren’t going to bring back a player like the aforementioned Patton, veteran receiver Charles Johnson would make a ton of sense.

Johnson was easily the best receiver in the AAF leading the league in receptions (45) and receiving yards (687) playing for the high-powered offense of the Orlando Apollos. Moreover, Pro Football Focus rated Johnson as the highest-graded receiver in the league with an excellent 85.5 grade.

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The Grand Valey State product was originally drafted as a seventh-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2013 but failed to make the team out of the preseason. He bounced around a few teams before landing with the Minnesota Vikings where he would finally see the field for some in-game playing time.

Johnson would play three years with the Vikings from 2014-2016 totaling 834 yards and two touchdowns on 60 catches. Injury issues kept him out of the league in 2017 and he failed to make the New York Jets roster in 2018 despite a very strong preseason.

At 6-foot-3 and 216 pounds, Johnson is a big-bodied receiver with ample athleticism to boot. The only major downside is that he’s already 30-years-old which for an NFL skill-position player is borderline ancient.

Regardless, it’s likely that Johnson could still contribute as a high enough level in the NFL if given the chance. Given their lackluster receiving core, it would be wise for San Francisco to give him that chance before another team does.