The San Francisco 49ers have one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL in Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, but they appear to be planning for a future in which they could be without one member of that All-Pro pair.
After it emerged the Niners would be hosting a top-30 visit with USC wide receiver Brenden Rice, son of 49ers legend and the greatest receiver of all time Jerry Rice, Josh Edwards of CBS Sports reported San Francisco would also be holding a visit with Western Kentucky wideout Malachi Corley.
Corley may not have the name brand value of Rice, but his visit is significant because of the player to whom he has frequently been compared.
At 5ft 11in and 210 pounds, Corley excelled with Western Kentucky in his final two seasons, which saw him rack up 2,267 receiving yards and 22 receiving touchdowns, in a markedly similar way to Samuel.
Last season, Corley racked up 8.6 yards after catch per reception, according to Pro Football Focus, ranking tied for 18th among wide receivers in college football. He was second in screen catches (42) and first in screen yards (330).
In other words, he is a compact but well-built wideout with the athletic ability to do tremendous damage in the open field. In that respect, the comparisons to Samuel are no surprise.
And, with Samuel looming as a potential 2025 cap casualty — the 49ers would save $24.2 million by moving on next year with a dead cap charge of $15 million — San Francisco’s imminent meeting with Corley may add fuel to talk that the Niners could be set to move on from their dynamic playmaker next offseason.
For now, the speculation revolves around the future of Aiyuk as the 49ers attempt to negotiate a contract extension with their leading receiver from each of the last two seasons.
However, general manager John Lynch has been steadfast in insisting the 49ers plan to keep hold of their 2020 first-round pick. The 49ers’ meetings with wide receivers may indeed indicate that San Francisco is poised to break up its top wide receiver duo in the not too distant future, but the rumors might be focused on the wrong wideout.
