Report: 49ers plan to release WR Pierre Garcon

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Pierre Garcon (15) runs against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

The 49ers will release veteran wide receiver Pierre Garcon, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

This is the least-surprising move of the offseason for the 49ers. Garcon will be 33 next season, he is scheduled to earn $6 million and has missed 16 games since 2017. The 49ers never should have signed him in the first place.

To replace Garcon, the 49ers should sign free-agent wide receiver Tyrell Williams and/or draft Ole Miss wide receiver A.J. Brown.

This article has 142 Comments

    1. Gilligan saves them around $5 mill, while Garcon leaves them dead with $7 mill but saves them $1 mill. I think.

      Draft Samuel or Ridley, or my dream scenario would be for Metcalf to surprisingly be left on the board at 20, and we Make The Move up and commit grand theft….

      1. Metcalf would be a nice complimentary receiver to Pettis and Goodwin but didn’t he also have a serious neck injury? I saw Metcalf play against LSU last year. Not saying the guy isn’t a good WR but he did absolutely nothing in that game. LSU had pressure in Ta’amu’s face all night so it was a little difficult to judge the WR’s. AJ Brown had a much better day than Metcalf in that game.

        1. Brown’s good, and that’s his ceiling, to be a very good NFL receiver. But Metcalf’s ceiling is blue because the sky’s the limit. He’s got it all and in a couple years he has a chance to be a top receiver in the NFL. He’s been cleared for 100% participation medically, but the combine will reveal any issues if there are some. This picture was posted before, but I think it’s worth showing he’s been putting in the work. Mind you, this guy runs under 4.5 in the Forty:

          https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DzJnY-oXcAMD99Y.jpg

          1. And Jim Druckenmiller could push trucks up hills. Cmon Razor. Pictures mean nothing about a players ability.

            1. Yea, I wouldn’t be foolish enough to question his ability. He has it for days. As I stated, the picture shows he’s been putting in the work and not resting on his laurels while rehabbing. Is it your contention he won’t be the first wide receiver off the board, barring a medical red flag?

              1. I thoroughly enjoy the lead up to the draft and watching the draft but I fully admit I’m not as educated on the player evaluations as many of the people on this site. As we sit here today Metcalf is probably one of the top 3 WR’s taken in the first 2 rounds. But it’s way too early to try to figure out where a guy will be selected. The NFL combine will have a lot to say about that. I have a very good friend who was ranked as the top OG coming out of college at the end of his senior season. He ended up not getting drafted because of a medical issue that was discovered during the Combine. The agility drills and all those things at the combine are secondary to the medical evaluations and interviews. If an issue is discovered with Metcalf’s neck or something else then he could definitely fall. I just don’t like looking at pictures as evidence of some players work ethic or playing abilities. If pictures is all it took then lucky guys like me who are gifted with an Adonis type physique without really having to work for it would be the top picks in every draft. :)

              2. Metcalf is the top rated receiver in this draft bar none, and it has more to do with his rare physical skill set, combined with high-octane playmaking ability, and less to do with looking like he was carved from granite….

              3. Grant, he’ll be the 1st wide receiver to come off the board barring a medical red flag. You know it, I know it, everyone knows it. Your argument that “lots” have failed has absolutely no bearing on whether Metcalf fails. Lots of receivers with less than rare skills and more college production have failed as well. So what?

              4. Houston 9er, let’s see what Grant Cohn’s buddy Lance Zierlein has to say. Afterall, he’s the expert Grant used to bolster his contention that Allen was better than Bosa. Fair enough?

                https://www.nfl.com/prospects/d.k.-metcalf?id=32462019-0002-5623-1254-e99aadd0accb *Notice he compares him to Josh Gordon. An example of Grant’s strawman argument.

                Some on here think highly of Matt Miller’s scouting ability. According to him, DK has the most potential of any receiver in the 2019 NFL Draft. “Potential” is what players are drafted on. Will he be Owens without the drama or Stokes? Who the hell knows? If I knew, I’d be a millionaire because I wouldn’t be wasting my time scouting, rather I’d be using my clairvoyance on Powerball!

              5. @Razor, well I have a lot of respect for Zierlein so that link was impressive stuff. This line may be the best line ever written in any scouting report..

                “Rushes through pattern ingredients rather than developing their flavors as a route chef.”

              6. They drafted Stokes because in their minds he resembled Rice. They thought he was a ugly duckling who would turn into a Swan. Unfortunately, more often than not, Ugly Ducklings just turn into Ugly Ducks.

          2. Metcalf might be better served staring in super hero movies.
            When I look at Metcalf’ physique, I immediately think of T. O.

            But unlike T. O., Metcalf’ game is not physical. He does not seem to have the “killer instinct” that his size calls for.
            The mental part of the game is still an important aspect.

          3. Metcalf has crazy potential, the top athletic ability, and has shown receiver skills that, when on, transcend the other receiver prospects. HOWEVER, Metcalf will be gone by the middle of the 1st, so it does Niner fans no good to dream of him (unless we trade back and decide to take receiver first).

            Fortunately, this discussion should take less time then the amount of comments about Trent Brown I’ve had to wade through…

            1. Yea, I wouldn’t expect him to last past the 15th pick, and it wouldn’t surprise me if his medicals are clean that he could go top 10.

      2. Correct; $6.2 million total saved with Gilliam and Garcon release ($5 million to Gilliam, $1.2 million difference between dead money and cost of option on Garcon).

      3. Yeah, my understanding is that cutting Garcon now is actually a 7.2 million dead money hit this year, but it frees up about 25 million over the coming years. We get the benefit of this cut in 2020 and 2021.

  1. Wish him the best. Pierre got to do what many on this blog dreamt of doing, but didn’t.

    Hindsight is a cool thing.

  2. Not that Pierre was a bad receiver, but he could’nt stay healthy. Plus He’s getting football – wise old anyway. 49ers need to get a true #1 wideout anyway. If he doesn’t break the bank, I would love to get Antonio Brown on offense, Early Thomas on defence. ( if he can stay health ). Any Niner Fan agree?

    1. Not me. Older players on their downside will not help build for the future. AB has red flags. I expect Thomas has lost a step after 2 broken legs.
      .
      I think Tyrell Williams is a better option, and Nasir Adderly is a young Earl Thomas type of safety.

  3. Not surprising. Garcon was a shell of himself last season especially after the serious neck injury suffered the year before.

    He still may have been serviceable this upcoming season but he would have slowed down another WR from playing time.

    Pettis is our starting WR and the FO has made that commitment clear with the Garcon move.

    Best wishes to P. Garcon going forward.

  4. I agree with AES. They need to give Dante ( and also Richie James ) more opportunities to develope. Pierre will probable catch on with another team as a backup.

    1. They need stars. Beating the same developing bongo. I’m reading an espn article saying they are looking for fits in the defense for Armstead and Thomas. Armstead been here since 2014-2015. Still looking for a place? Seriously? Same with the offense. Just means will lack talent. Pettis and James can be ok pieces but they’ll never be stars. Not #1s. We have plenty of 2s and 3wrs

  5. I wish Garcon well, he needed better QBs to throw to him.
    .
    I actually thought he did well as a Niner, but injuries were the limiting factor.

  6. I wasn’t a fan of the signing, but saying the 49ers should never had signed him is using the ‘hindsight is 20/20’ method predicated on the fact that we now know he could not stay healthy during his tenure with the team. I am not sure if Garcón will be a good WR after he is released, but he was on pace for 1,000 receiving yards before he sustained his injury in 2017. If he can get healthy, he might still be able to be a complementary piece on another team’s offense. With that said, Garcón did not live up to his signing, and releasing him is the right move for the team.
    In regards to Tyrell Wiliams, I think the team is better off not going after him because he is very likely to be overpaid on the basis of his potential rather than his overall production.

    1. Yea, signing Williams would be redundant but if they want to bring him in on a cheap deal to compete, I’d be ok with it.

      1. At 6′ 4″, 205 lbs, 4.43 forty, Tyrell Williams would be that tall fast red zone threat the Niners lack.

        1. I’d prefer to address the big red zone threat with the outlaw Jesse James, and draft Metcalf but I’d settle for Samuel or Ridley….

    2. I disagree. Tyrell Williams is exactly what the Niners need. Battle tested, battle hardened, good speed, red zone threat, and may emerge after playing behind Keenan Allen, Travis Benjamin and Mike Williams.
      .
      Sure, the Niners may need to overpay, but they have tons of cap space, so they should not go cheap.

    3. I was against the signing from the beginning. Anyone who’s surprised that a 30+ year old wide receiver couldn’t stay healthy hasn’t watched much football.

      1. There are a good number of WRs that have been able to stay healthy past the age of 30 and still be productive though Grant. Jerry Rice is an example of one such WR.
        All of this though is missing the point that I am trying to make, which is that there is no way any one could have known Garcón would have an injury plagued tenure with the team since the most games he had missed in a season had previously been six games back in 2012. After that, Garcón went on to play in every game for four straight seasons before signing with the 49ers.

        1. Not to mention Garcon was brought aboard because he knew the system, and assist in developing the culture as much as he was for his potential production. No one in here has any way of knowing how influential he’s been in the development of the young receivers who are now on the team….

      2. 20/20 hindsight even though you called it at the time. The 49er sychophants are something else.

        That 2017 veteran free agent class has been a mess.

          1. Yea, he only played on 64% of the 49ers snaps in 2018 anyways. PFF has 5 fullbacks who played at least 100 snaps , and only two have reached the 200 mark. Juszczyk led the way with 379. He had more receiving yards than Kenyan Drake, LeSean McCoy and Ezekiel Elliott. I don’t have to tell you that Shanny’s offense is based on having a productive fullback, but I did it anyway….?

            1. A productive fullback who doesn’t help the running game in the redzone.

              For what they get out of Juszczyk they could have just gone with a move TE.

              1. Dude, we’ve already agreed with each other several weeks ago that one of the areas Shanny needs to improve is in the red zone. Another one where you and I agree is the 4 minute offense needs to improve. Your opinion on what the HC should use in his offense is just fine, but if the HC doesn’t get his personnel and he fails, Jack Hammer doesn’t want any excuses left on the table if and when he does, do he?

              2. “For what they get out of Juszczyk they could have just gone with a move TE.”

                Tbh, when they signed him, that’s basically what I thought they were signing. A hybrid FB/TE – an H-Back. He played a lot of TE and slot WR in college. I have been quite disappointed with the limited ways they have used him.

          2. That is definitely one of my biggest complaints with Shanahan. Juice has had a good 49ers tenure so far, but Shanahan has mostly underutilized him.

            1. Yup! A wasted signing that has largely gone without the kind of dividends needed for a team like ours.

              If he were the only one, it wouldn’t matter much but there have been too many.

            2. Underutilized- no.
              Overrated- yes.

              He’s a great fullback but he’s not an “ow”. And every time he gets the ball a more dangerous player is not getting it.

        1. Again from a production standpoint, yes you’re correct but from a sycophants perspective, you don’t have a clue how influential they’ve been from a developmental standpoint of our young players….

        2. Yes and no Jack. Juice has done well with the 49ers, Garcón was not expected by most to make it to the end of his deal, and Goodwin did produce before the team overpaid him. The only truly bad signing was Smith.

    4. Agree MidWestDynasty. I wouldn’t mind signing Tyrell Williams, but given he is probably going to end up with a 5 year, $70-80 million contract, I’m not going to be upset if the Niners miss out either.

  7. Neck/ spine injuries can be pretty tricky. They can rob you of your hand strength, which it appeared to have affected Garcon. Since his reliability is what he was known for , once he started to have multiple drops after his return, I figured he was done. He might get it back, but it was not worth the risk and the upside wasn’t worth it anyway. He was only a two year signing as it was.

    I also agree that he was not a bad signing at the time. He was relatively injury free most of his career and unlike now, the Niners at the time were not a team that players were breaking down the door to sign with. They were not going to get any free agents at a discount. Only in retrospect could it be considered a bad signing. A neck injury is a relatively freak accident and could not be predicted.

  8. There’s a lot of admiration for the “big receiver” types in football.
    But not all of them become the WR’s that their respective team’s envisioned.

    Kelvin Benjamin is not special.
    David Funchess isn’t either.

    There was a combine darling in 2015 named Dorial Green-Beckham who was 6″5′ 237 lbs and did a 4.49, 40.
    Drafted by Titans and only played one year. He went to Philly and played one year there as well.
    He is currently out of football.

    What do these players have in common? They never played like big WR’s.
    These guys would likely be perinnial pro-bowlers if they had Edelman’ mental toughness and HEART.

    1. Bad examples if you’re attempting to compare them to Metcalf, who by the way comes from NFL dna. Metcalf is big and fast, not big and slow. He’s not a one trick pony….

      1. I think what AES is getting at is that the team doesn’t need a big tall WR like most on here are wanting in order to get more production out of the WR corps. At least this was the conclusion I made from his post.

        1. Actually, I was making a point that not all big WR’s play according to their physical stature.

          T. O. was one of the few who did.
          We drafted J. J. Stokes in 1995 as the possible heir apparent to Jerry Rice and it was T. O. who was drafted the following year that became our top star WR.

          Stokes had the right measurables, but T. O. had the heart.
          Where does Metcalf rate on this scale?

          1. Stokes had the right measurables, but T. O. had the heart.
            Where does Metcalf rate on this scale?

            That’s the $49 dollar question, but I’m excited to find out. Hope he lands outside our division on a team that has a good quarterback and an offensive minded head coach. If not us, I’d like to see him land in Kansas City….

          2. TO also had speed which helped.

            But yeah, big WRs typically don’t get much separation, so for them it comes down to how physical they are willing to be.

            Personally I don’t understand why so many 49er fans seem enamoured with the idea of getting a supersized WR. Like its a necessary thing. It isn’t. Get the guys that know how to get open.

            1. “ Get the guys that know how to get open.”

              Yeah, that’s always the tough part. Finding a WR is notoriously difficult.

              1. “A.J. Brown knows how to get open.”

                True, I probably was a bit unkind likening him to Treadwell. He has better feet than Treadwell and is a better route runner.

          3. If I remember correctly, Stokes was not blessed with speed either. The team just thought that like Rice he would play faster than he was timed. He was a bad pick period. They had a good receiver they could have resigned for under 500 thousand put chose to let him go to free up money to give Stokes and extended contract. That receiver was then signed by Denver where he became an all star. Anyone with a brain and not blinded could see that he was a better receiver than Stokes. They guy had hands like glue and never dropped a pass. You remember Ed McCafferty. I will never forget that blunder because I could see it was a mistake when it happened. Just think what the receiving corps would have looked like with McCafferty and Owens on the field at the same time.

      1. AES, if you’re looking for an Edelman I’d probably take a shot on day 2 or 3 for a player like Renfro or Isabella.

        1. Razor,
          Those are exactly the type of WR’s that I like!
          Every team needs a player like these guys.
          Isabella would be my first choice.

    1. Those would be two excellent signings for sure. Let’s go get the outlaw Jesse James too, and release Celek.

  9. RB Harris is currently expected to drafted in the first or second round, and drafting a RB that high makes no sense.

        1. I’d be surprised if Shanny drafts a running back, unless the value significantly exceeds the round he’s available in.

            1. Yes they could, but I was thinking more along the lines of a flex-option, receiving back underneath McKinnon. James Williams, RB, Washington St. Had only 3 fumbles in 525 career touches, and 202 career catches, including two 70-catch seasons….

  10. AJ Brown? Isn’t he more a slot WR? He basically played like a flex TE in college. Seems a pretty big risk expecting him to be a good full time outside WR since he rarely was used that way in college. I have visions of him being the next Laquon Treadwell.

      1. Don’t know. Probably not, he does seem a bit quicker than that. It is a concern though that he didn’t really get used as an outside WR.

        My concern is that at best he is more a bigger version of Jarvis Landry. Which don’t get me wrong, that would make him a very good player, but also a limited player. Basically forces you to use 3 WR sets to get him on the field often.

        Given the 49ers already have two slot WRs and it appears Shanahan likes using smaller, shiftier guys in the slot, I don’t really think Brown is the guy Shanahan will target.

          1. Tbh, both Landry and Smith-Schuster seem more physical at the catch point than Brown. And that is a pretty important aspect of being a good big-bodied slot WR.

            1. Hmm. I don’t see that. I’ll look closer. He strikes me as a physical receiver who also can cut outside his frame and create separation. A good route-runner, unlike Metcalf.

              1. Metcalf is raw, but guys his size with his speed and athleticism get taken early. And while he is raw, he already shows nuance in releasing off the line. He’s the kind of guy teams will gamble on because the upside is enormous.

            2. Tbh, both Landry and Smith-Schuster seem more physical at the catch point than Brown.

              I’d agree with that, Scooter. From what I’ve seen, Brown doesn’t seem to attack the ball, rather he lets it come into his body. He catches with his hands, but he rarely high points the football. Is that a product of the quarterback or the receiver. Probably a combination of both….

      2. AJ Brown is deemed a 4.5 forty WR by Walter Football.He is their top WR, so he is a first round candidate. DK Metcalf was rated number 2.
        .
        However, Draftek has Metcalf at 11, and AJ Brown at 22. Kelvin Harmon at 17, JJ Arcega-Whiteside at 18, and N’Keal Harry at 30.
        .
        With the Niners needing pass rush, O line and CB help, a WR may be taken in the 4th round.
        .
        Keelan Doss is a sure fire All Pro, so he should be considered, but if he is taken in the first round, there are several other WRs who should be considered, and may be available in the later rounds.
        .
        Terry Mclaurin was very good in the Senior Bowl practices. Good speed, good routes and good hands.
        Terry Godwin shined in the East West game. Explosive with separation.
        Jamarius Way is a small school WR, but JR came from a small school, too.
        James Gardner is another small school WR, but is 6′ 4″ 216 lbs, with an impressive 19.7 yard average per catch.
        .
        Those are the realistic targets, unless the Niners trade back and get extra second and third round picks.

          1. I Like Draftek better because they have Dwayne Haskins at 5 and Kyler Murray at 10.
            .
            CBS has Haskins at 10 and Murray at 20. Draftek is more realistic than CBS. Murray may be the first player chosen in the draft.

            1. Draftek is not more realistic than CBS just because you say so. Ledyard, Crabbs, Marino, Solak, and Sikkema, every last one of them has Metcalf ranked as their #1 receiver.

              1. We will see. If he does not pass his physical, you, and all those pundits, may be proved wrong.

              2. Are you suggesting that I haven’t made the point that his medicals must be clean? I would’ve have thought you’d have given me a little more credit than that!

              3. Well, the medical issues, even without being confirmed in the Combine, should lower his draft potential and status.
                .
                From what I heard from you, he sounded like Hercules, a chiseled physical specimen. Grant was the one bringing up the 2 injuries in 2 years.

        1. He’s a receiver whose stock will rise or fall based on his 40. Up if he’s 4.5, down if he’s 4.6.

  11. “Never should of signed him…”

    Why would you say that, he came off a 1000 yard season and would hopefully fill the position 3rd down WR role. He is a high character player. Knows the KS offense. He was a great signing. Cards just didn’t fall the way we expected.

    Go Niners!!!

    1. No sophomore slump for the ex-player turned tv analyst turned GM. The word’s still out on the Street, but if he shows himself well, it could bump up the rating….

    2. CFB,
      I would have liked a higher grade than a B, but like Razor, we need to see what we have in Street.

      The Colts had a great haul last year and deserve their high grade, but in many cases grades for a teams draft are rated after a few years.

      Last March, I said that the 49ers needed to draft at least 3 starters. They came very close. McGlinchey and Warner started every game, and Pettis became a starter in the second half of the season.

      We need about 3 more starters in this year’s draft as well. Also need a strong FA crop for us to get to (hopefully) 8+ wins.
      Oh, and … Bring back the black unit’s for about two games ?

  12. Mel Kiper and CBS Sports have mocked Josh Allen to the 49ers:

    CBS:
    2. Josh Allen, EDGE, Kentucky
    Kyle Shanahan can turn pretty much any pieces into a good offense, but his team badly needs help pressuring the edge on the other side of the ball. Enter Allen, who provides something much different than any of the 49ers’ recent defensive-line draft picks and makes for a perfect fit in defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s system.

    Mel Kiper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZi-yoxF15E

  13. I love the Wes Welker hire!
    Now our WR’s & TE’s will learn two key traits from New England:

    1. How to get away with pushing-off.
    2. How to pretend you’re getting held to draw flags.

  14. And what a 5 time Pro Bowler, 2 time 1st team All Pro, 2 time 2nd team All Pro, and 3 time Super Bowl contestant look like!

    1. Just shows he really has no intention of ever playing football again, and he shouldn’t after losing his job to Blaine Gabbert. But this gives him an out in a way that doesn’t expose his game, and remind the world just how bad he was before he became NFL obsolete….

    2. Just goes to show he is not desperate, and is confident in his abilities.
      .
      If Matthew Stafford is worth 29.5 mil. Kaep is easily worth 20.

    3. Is anyone really surprised. When he wasn’t getting offers do you think he may have hinted that he wanted to be a starter with commensurate pay? Might this have been one of the reasons he was “blackballed”.

      I know his camp said he didn’t but never really bought that. He would be a decent backup on some teams but ….

        1. Why would they when they want a backup and he’s seeking on making starter money. If that is how Kap leads into the conversation teams will say, thanks but no thanks.

          1. Guess it depends on how much a team wants to win.
            .
            Some teams would rather lose without Kaep, than win with Kaep.
            .
            Matt Barkley? Josh Johnson? Mike McCoy? Savage? Osweiler? Peterman? Mark Sanchez? Defending those QBs, and considering them superior to Kaep, just means your assessment skills are deficient. Kaep is a SB QB who has set playoff records. He has a 4-2 road playoff win/loss record. Right now, he is better than half the starters and almost all the backups, yet they did not even give him a tryout.

            1. More fallacious, emotion from the mighty……….SEBS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

              What did he do his last 3 yrs. in the NFL?

              Didn’t he have one game where he threw for 4 yds?

              And didn’t he refuse to throw to a receiver who was open for 5 seconds doing jumping jacks, trying desperately to make his QB look all over the field i.e. don’t telegraph the ball? That was against the Rams, I believe. But Kap simply refused to view the whole field.

              Ah! I know…………..its somebody else’s fault.

              3 yrs of that slop.

            2. Kap was a flash in the pan who refused to grow-but the NFL figured him out.

              But that wasn’t Kaps fault. Everyone knows in the NFL a QB has little to do with how the O functions. And his last 3 yrs proved it.

              I could be wrong. I’ve asked the mighty Sebs for Kaps stats his last 3 yrs, to no effect. He could get the last word in………and there aint NOBODY who likes to get the last word in better than the……”Mighty Quinn”.

              Forget the name-calling, Sebs-give me the stats of his last 3 yrs and make your argument—you know, where the premises follow the conclusion.

              1. With better talent surrounding him, Kaep will do well. Jax is the best option for him, He is light years better than Bortles. Heck, they might have won a SB with him 2 years ago.
                .
                Yes, he has not played, but Josh Johnson blew your argument out of the water. JJ had not thrown a pass in 4 years, but came back to win a game. Kaep is only 31, so he could still play for years. Thankfully, he has not gotten hit for a couple years, so he should be fresh and not worn down.
                .
                I am patient. Kaep will win his lawsuit, void the CBA, and become even more of a hero.

  15. Question:

    Which 49er players could start on any NFL team?

    Gould?
    Sherman?
    Buckner?
    Juszczyk?
    Garoppolo?
    Kittle?
    Staley?

    Of all these, I can think of maybe 3 who could start on any NFL roster. The rest would be very good and start on many, but not all rosters.

    1. Since you used the word any… I would say Buckner, Kittle and Staley.
      Juice is a FB at a time when most teams don’t use them.
      Gould has been great for us but there are a few better kickers out there. Same goes for Sherman and certainly Jimmy G who is still a massive unknown.

  16. Is Leonard Hankerson available? He checks all the Lynch boxes: slow, can’t catch, gets hurt a lot, played for Shanny the Elder and just turned 30. I bet he can be signed for at least twice the going rate!

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