49ers 2012 Free Agency Review: Wide Receivers

Previously, smileyman took a quick look at the quarterback position and then the running back position for our San Francisco 49ers. In those posts, the consensus seemed to reflect that the 49ers should be mostly-happy with Alex Smith as the quarterback, and that everybody is apparently totally happy with Frank Gore, Bruce Miller and Kendall Hunter for another season. Now, we'll get to a position that I'm going to guess will be quite a bit more confrontational.

It's my opinion that the 49ers' receivers were far-too inconsistent in 2011, but I'm not necessarily unhappy with the current group. At any rate, Joshua Morgan, Ted Ginn Jr. and Brett Swain are free agents this year, while Michael Crabtree is still playing out his rookie deal, which won't make him a free agent until 2015, outside of a voidable year in 2014. Kyle Williams is locked up until 2014, while Joe Hastings is a restricted free agent.

After the jump, we'll take a look at the individual players and how their seasons played out, and then ask you how you feel about the position going forward.

Michael Crabtree

He started slowly, once again, but actually put together some really solid games this season, and put up over 800 yards. Crabtree is great with the ball in his hands, but seems to disappear for long periods of time, and struggles against No. 1 corners. Going forward, he'll be a factor, but it might be worth considering him a No. 2 guy.

Joshua Morgan

Morgan looked really good through the first couple games of the season. He definitely looked like the best receiver on the team, and was very dangerous on the slant (which essentially disappeared once he was out), but he was injured when he was playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, playing at a time in which he should have been on the bench. I fully expect San Francisco to re-sign him and I expect him to have a prominent role in 2012.

Ted Ginn Jr.

He's not much of a receiving option at this point, is he? Awhile ago, I said the 49ers group of receivers will not be considered good when Ted Ginn Jr. is in the top three rotation. On this team, he was top two, and he was essentially a liability out there. It's worth noting that his hands look much improved this time around, but he still can't run precise routes and does not get open. His true value is as a return man.

Kyle Williams

While many of you will immediately be on him for what happened in the NFC Championship Game, Williams took his first substantial playing time in his career at wide receiver and made the most of it. He was amazingly quick with the ball in his hands and ran some crisp routes. There was multiple times in which he was open deep that Alex Smith didn't pull the trigger on, too. Williams will be on the team in 2012 and he might be in-line for some significant playing time. Hopefully that time is spent on the offense.

Brett Swain

All credit to Swain, he looked like he had a deep bomb to him good in the game against the New Orleans Saints, but he was held around the middle by the defender, and it was not called. Aside from that, he is a total non-factor on offense and I don't remember him doing anything on special teams.

Joe Hastings

There are no stats for Hastings, who possesses a fantastic work ethic and attitude for the game. At this point, that's really the only thing that can be said about him, though.