The San Francisco 49ers are badly hurting right now. Literally. Once again, the 49ers have been absolutely devastated by injuries, and their receiving corps in particular have been absolutely decimated.
Not only is Brandon Aiyuk still sidelined while recovering from a torn ACL, Jauan Jennings is dealing with a calf issues and several other wide receivers are also nursing respective maladies. Then there is Demarcus Robinson, who will serve a three-game suspension to begin the season.
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This leaves Brock Purdy without a whole lot of viable options heading into Week 1, and it’s a scary thought after the 49ers went just 6-11 last year largely due to the fact that Purdy had very few healthy weapons at his disposal.
With San Francisco dealing with so many injuries, it’s time to actually go out and add a piece, and Amari Cooper makes perfect sense in that regard.
Cooper remains on the free-agent market with the season opener just around the corner, and for as much as the 31-year-old struggled in 2024, it’s surprising that he is still available.
Perhaps Cooper is simply waiting for the perfect fit. Or maybe teams around the NFL genuinely believe he is done. But for as much as Cooper labored last year, he still managed to catch 44 passes for 547 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills.
Plus, the five-time Pro Bowler is just two seasons removed from hauling in 72 receptions for 1,250 yards and five scores. Is it possible he fell off a cliff that quickly?
It couldn’t hurt the 49ers to at least give Cooper a shot given the current state of their wide receiver room. Outside of Ricky Pearsall, there really isn’t much to be excited about right now. And while it’s understandable that Cooper may be declining, he still comprises an intriguing option.
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San Francisco just handed Purdy a lucrative contract extension, so it’s important to cultivate the young quarterback by providing him with the necessary weapons he needs to succeed. When the Niners are healthy, they have that, but we know Aiyuk will probably miss a few games to begin the season, and who knows about everyone else.
Signing Cooper to a one-year deal would at least give Purdy a proven veteran option who can take some pressure off of him, and perhaps a fresh start will strongly benefit the former first-round pick.
The 49ers should absolutely be placing a call to Cooper.
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