The 49ers could have a need for a veteran receiver to start the season, and a former starter pointed one of his former teammates as an ideal signing.
It has already been an offseason of great change at the wide receiver position for the 49ers.
With Deebo Samuel traded and the 49ers bringing in Demarcus Robinson and drafting Jordan Watkins in the fourth round, the 2025 receiver room has a different look. San Francisco will likely be pinning much of its hopes for production from that group on Brandon Aiyuk bouncing back from his knee injury, the consistency of Jauan Jennings, and a year-two leap from Ricky Pearsall.
But one former 49er clearly believes they should look to add another veteran who is set to hit the open market.
News came down on Wednesday that the Jacksonville Jaguars are to release Gabe Davis just over a year after signing him to a three-year, $39 million contract.
Davis’ only season with the Jags was cut short by a torn meniscus, which likely heavily factored into his release.
However, former 49ers interior offensive lineman Jon Feliciano, who played with Davis with the Buffalo Bills in 2020 and 2021, labeled the former UCF wideout as “a perfect fit” for San Francisco.
Feliciano is well qualified to make such a statement having played with Davis and in Kyle Shanahan’s offense, and there is some merit to his claim with the direction in which the 49er attack has traveled in recent times.
Gabe Davis would be a perfect fit in SF
— Jonathan Feliciano (@MongoFeliciano) May 7, 2025
Davis would give the 49ers another imposing physical presence at the position at 6ft 3in and 225 pounds who has the flexibility to play X, Z and in the slot.
While not an elite separator, Davis has previously proven himself to be an excellent downfield target. Davis averages 16.2 yards per reception for his career and, in his final season with Buffalo in 2023, ranked 10th in Pro Football Focus receiving grade on targets of 20-plus yards.
With the 49ers transitioning to a more dropback-heavy offense with Brock Purdy pushing the ball downfield, Davis would seem to be a strong fit for where Shanahan is taking his scheme. The injury, though, complicates any prospect of them signing him.
Davis would likely have to start the year on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list and, considering the 49ers are already putting their faith in one wideout coming off a serious knee injury in Aiyuk, they may be unwilling to invest in another.
On top of that, to sign Davis and then later activate him from PUP, the 49ers would potentially need to demote another wideout. The 49ers will likely carry no more than seven, one of which could be rookie return specialist Junior Bergen.
Given the capital they have invested in terms of contract extensions and draft picks in the players who will be expected to form the 49ers’ depth chart at the position, San Francisco’s appetite to potentially remove a receiver to accommodate Davis will probably be low.
There is credence to Feliciano’s claim but, with his injury status and the young talent they’ve acquired at receiver, the 49ers passing on the chance to sign Davis seems the most realistic outcome.