Feb. 23, 2026, 4:45 p.m. PT
The San Francisco 49ers may have had a strong passing attack in 2025, averaging the fifth-most yards per game at 244.5, but Brock Purdy and Mac Jones didn’t have the best wide receiver group to throw to.
That group will get even thinner this offseason, as the 49ers could lose Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, Skyy Moore and Trent Taylor in free agency. Not to mention Brandon Aiyuk, who didn’t play in 2025, will be moved one way or another in 2026.
With that, San Francisco should be looking for new wide receivers in free agency, and Sports Illustrated’s Connor Orr recently suggested that the 49ers will sign Alec Pierce on their way to winning the offseason.
“While this is an obvious red flag, the distance between the 49ers and the Seahawks was made obvious during the divisional round of the playoffs,” Orr wrote. “With many of their best players in their prime or near retirement age, the 49ers will spin more than $40 million worth of cap space into Alec Pierce and a top veteran offensive lineman.”
Pierce played collegiately at Cincinnati from 2018-21 and earned All-AAC honors in his final season before the Indianapolis Colts took him in the second round (No. 53 overall) of the 2022 NFL draft.
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In his four seasons in Indianapolis, he appeared in 64 games and caught 157 passes for 2,934 yards and 17 touchdowns while leading the league in yards per catch in 2024 and 2025.
With only Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing, Colton Dowell, Junior Bergen and Malik Turner on the roster, Pierce would probably be San Francisco’s top wideout if he’s signed.
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