The San Francisco 49ers have plenty of holes to fill this offseason and are looking to make major improvements on the offensive side of the ball this offseason, as they finished dead last in the NFL, averaging just 14.9 points per game. While the major question in San Francisco this offseason is the quarterback position, they will still need to surround whoever lines up behind the center with playmakers.
49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick is reportedly open to returning to San Francisco next season and could have a new wide receiver in Ole Miss' Laquon Treadwell. The Rebels wide receiver is considered the best at his position in the 2016 class and "is an obvious candidate at No. 7," according to 49ers reporter Eric Branch.
The 49ers have many needs to fill this offseason, with positions like quarterback, inside linebacker, offensive tackle and wide receiver at the top of the list, according to NFL Media draft analyst Lance Zierlein. While the 49ers could look to target a quarterback like North Dakota State's Carson Wentz or California's Jared Goff, Treadwell would fill an immediate hole and could be starting week one in San Francisco.
Treadwell will not run at the NFL combine in Indianapolis, but he will still likely be the top wide receiver on the board come April. "We see it every year," NFL Media analyst Daniel Jeremiah said, via NFL Network. "Really good players who aren't great testers often avoid running in Indy. I don't think he's going to test all that fast at his pro day, but that's his call. That's where he feels most comfortable. Not ideal, but I get it."
The Ole Miss wide out is listed at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds and is not considered the top receiver in this year's class because of his speed. Instead, the talented receiver is known for his ability to go up and grab contested passes, and he could be a strong replacement for 49ers receiver Anquan Boldin in 2016.
Boldin is scheduled to become a free agent in March and turns 36 years old in October. There is no question that Boldin is still a threat in the league, but the 49ers front office may look to get younger at the receiver position by acquiring a player like Treadwell.
San Francisco's front office has plenty of decisions to make this offseason and will likely need to resolve their quarterback position before solidifying the rest of their offense. It wouldn't be surprising to see the 49ers choose a quarterback in the first round of the draft, but if both Goff and Wentz are gone by the seventh pick, Treadwell may make the most sense.
