San Francisco 49ers free agency 2017: Top 5 targets
By James Dudko
2. Pierre Garcon
If there’s one wide receiver Shanahan should be serious about signing it has to be Pierre Garcon. The former brought out the best in No. 88 as offensive coordinator of the Washington Redskins.
In fact, Garcon set a franchise single-season record when he tallied 113 catches for the Redskins on Shanahan’s watch in 2013. It was a season where Garcon was moved all over the field to attack defenses on plays specifically designed to set him free.
One of Shanahan’s favorite ploys was to isolate Garcon on one side of the formation with a bunch set of multiple receivers on the other side. Garcon would then typically take a short throw across the field where the bunch receivers would form a blocking convoy in a more expansive riff on the screen pass.
It’s just one example of Shanahan knowing how to use Garcon’s flexibility for maximum effect. He knows this is a receiver who dominates over the middle, particularly after the catch.
The 49ers have already wisely reinvested in a receiver with similar skills by re-signing the underrated Jeremy Kerley, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Adam Caplan:
One WR off the market: Jeremy Kerley and 49ers agree on a 3-year, $10.5 million deal, per @caplannfl and me.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2017
Putting Garcon alongside Kerley and Tamme would give San Francisco a quarterback-friendly set of receivers sure to thrive in a high-percentage passing game.