As the 49ers continue to weigh their options at wide receiver, they’ll host a veteran free agent for a visit, according to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Anderson reports that former Giant and Colt Hakeem Nicks is paying a visit to San Francisco to meet with the Niners.
While fellow 2009 first-round wideout Jeremy Maclin parlayed a one-year, prove-it deal in 2014 into a huge, long-term contract, Nicks was unable to do the same in Indianapolis. After receiving 100 or more targets in each of his previous four seasons in New York, Nicks saw a career-low 68 passes thrown his way in 2014, as Andrew Luck and the Colts relied more on T.Y. Hilton, Reggie Wayne, and Coby Fleener in the passing game. Nicks finished the season with 405 yards and three touchdowns on 38 receptions.
The Niners made a big splash in free agency when they landed Torrey Smith on a lucrative five-year contract, and the ex-Raven should be a nice complement for former teammate Anquan Boldin. However, San Francisco has seen a number of receivers depart this offseason, with Michael Crabtree and Brandon Lloyd hitting the free agent market, while Steve Johnson was released. As such, the team is in need of some additional depth at the position.
San Francisco will be the first team Nicks has visited this offseason. The former 29th overall pick just turned 27 in June and has a pair of 1,000-yard seasons on his résumé, but doesn’t seem to be generating a ton of interest on the open market this year after posting pedestrian numbers for the Colts.