49ers contacted WR Lavelle Hawkins before he signed with Chargers, per Maiocco

Earlier this week, former 49ers wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins signed with the San Diego Chargers as they look to replace injured wide receiver Malcom Floyd. Earlier today, Matt Maiocco reported that multiple sources indicated the 49ers had been in contact with Hawkins recently.

The 49ers have had their struggles at wide receiver, so I suppose this is not a particularly surprising piece of news. Hawkins made a strong pitch for one of the wide receiver spots out of training camp, but he did not make it through final cuts. Since then, the 49ers have struggled to find someone who would work opposite Anquan Boldin. Jon Baldwin will likely get his best chance on Sunday, while the team also waits for the return of Mario Manningham in a few weeks.

In for now unrelated news, the Seattle Seahawks waived wide receiver Stephen Williams to make room for reinstated linebacker Bruce Irvin. Naturally, the first reaction from just about everybody is that the 49ers will place a claim on Williams. The now former Seahawks receiver initially came into the league in 2010 as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals, and apparently impressed. However, he apparently suffered through ball security issues early on, as well as a back injury his rookie season, and then suffered a torn Achilles in 2012. Doug Farrar has an interesting write-up on Williams from earlier this summer.

Keep Reading:

• Colin Kaepernick and ANY/A
• Eric Reid vs. Ed Reed
• The evolution of Colin Kaepernick
• All-22 look at Matt Schaub's interceptions