The San Francisco 49ers unloaded speedy wide receiver Torrey Smith, and on Thursday, they will have another speedster on the roster. NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport tweeted on Wednesday that the 49ers will sign wide receiver Marquise Goodwin.
Goodwin was a third round pick of the Buffalo Bills in 2013, and spent the past four years up there. He brings literally Olympic-like speed, but he struggled to make an impact. He played in 24 games his first three seasons. he had 17 receptions for 283 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie, and then a combined three receptions for 66 yards in 2014 and 2015. This past season, he played in 15 games and caught 29 passes for 431 yards and three touchdowns.
The 49ers have a lot of holes in their wide receiver depth chart, including the speedy option. The team is nearing a deal with Pierre Garcon, who right now would be their clear No. 1 receiver. Jeremy Kerley is the most productive returning player, with a variety of talented but unproven or injury prone (Bruce Ellington) options down the depth chart. Goodwin will get a lot of opportunities early on if he can stay healthy.