​Former NFL general manager and current ESPN NFL analyst Mike Tannenbaum believes the 49ers should consider signing free agent wide receiver Stefon Diggs. Diggs is widely regarded as the best remaining free agent on the market, and in a vacuum any team would upgrade its receiving corps by adding the 32-year-old. But Tannenbaum’s take on the 49ers’ receiving corps reads more like a pointed critique of one of San Francisco’s offseason additions. While outlining the reasons Diggs could make sense for the 49ers, Tannenbaum suggested Diggs could slot into a role that would currently be occupied by veteran WR Christian Kirk.
“I look at San Francisco, and even though they added Mike Evans and drafted De’Zhaun Stribling in the second round, I still think if they brought in one more veteran receiver for a team that’s in a win-now mode, you’d get one year out of Stefon Diggs and San Francisco has done that over the years,” Tannenbaum said. “He’s past his prime, but come on in while Stribling develops, see what you have in Ricky Pearsall who’s been hurt. I think Diggs can help the 49er passing attack.”
Perhaps Tannenbaum simply forgot about the Kirk signing, or perhaps he believes the Niners should bring Diggs in to push Kirk further down the depth chart. The challenge with that interpretation is the way Tannenbaum frames the veteran-spot role: he mentions a veteran receiver to play while Stribling develops who can also serve as Pearsall insurance. By that logic, the roster spot would seemingly be reserved for Kirk, who is expected to be the third or fourth receiver, depending on Pearsall’s health and Stribling’s development in his first preseason.
This leaves two possible scenarios. First, Tannenbaum may have issued a take about the 49ers’ receiver room without fully surveying the current roster to determine whether his conclusion would hold up. Second, he may regard Kirk as a non-factor who wouldn’t merit consideration even if Diggs were added, essentially implying Kirk isn’t worth discussing in the context of Diggs’ potential impact.
It’s worth noting Kirk’s recent production. Over the last two seasons he has totaled 55 receptions for 618 yards and two touchdowns across 21 games for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans. In the three seasons prior, he compiled 218 catches for 2,877 yards and 16 touchdowns with the Arizona Cardinals and Jaguars. Diggs, who posted 1,013 yards and four touchdowns on 85 receptions last season with the New England Patriots, would clearly be an upgrade. Yet the 49ers have historically prioritized internal development and in-house options over outside acquisitions. They’ve already signed Evans to bolster one of the top two receiving spots, and Pearsall is expected to receive ample opportunities to establish himself as the No. 2. Stribling, as the first pick of this year’s second round, should push for snaps immediately, while Kirk will be in the mix along with veteran Demarcus Robinson and a second-year player in a bid to secure the other receiving roles.
In sum, Diggs would be an obvious upgrade on the open market, but the 49ers’ current roster construction complicates the fit. Whether San Francisco chooses to pursue Diggs or continue prioritizing internal development remains a topic of debate, with Tannenbaum’s comments illustrating how even a talented veteran like Diggs can clash with a team’s existing plans and depth chart considerations. The situation highlights how roster-building decisions are often about nuanced fit as much as raw talent, especially for a team that tends to favor a blend of proven contributors and young upside.