The 49ers have three former top 10 draft picks at wide receiver - Braylon Edwards, Ted Ginn and Michael Crabtree - and they seem loaded at the position. But that depth is just a mirage. Of the five receivers on their 53-man roster, three are signed only through this season - Edwards, Ginn and Joshua Morgan. The 49ers drafted a wideout, Ronald Johnson, but he didn't make the squad.
Furthermore, of the two wideouts that are signed beyond this season, one, Michael Crabtree, has had two surgeries to the same foot. Crabtree told reporters Sunday that his left foot hadn't fully healed since the last fracture, which occurred on June 6, and that he was in so much pain yesterday he thought it might have been broken again.
Crabtree obviously was relieved when X-rays showed there was no structural damage to the foot. The receiver said he planned to simply play through the pain while the foot continues to heal, and that if the pain becomes unbearable, like it was on Sunday, he'll remove himself from the game.
Still, the 49ers have to be concerned that the only top receiver they've signed for the long-term has had two surgeries to the same foot in the span of two years. That explains their interest last week in former Rams wideout Donnie Avery, who worked out in Santa Clara and who plans to do the same for other teams this week.
Crabtree did not start Sunday against the Seahawks, but he, Edwards and Morgan were shuffled in throughout the first half. Morgan ended up playing the most snaps of any wideout. My unofficial tally: Morgan 36 snaps, Edwards 33 snaps, Crabtree 16 snaps with all but two of them coming in the first half.
Ginn ended up getting six snaps, and he would be the top option if Crabtree is unable to play Sunday against the Cowboys. The team also likely would activate its fifth receiver, Kyle Williams, who could relieve Ginn on punt returns if Ginn's role at wideout expands.
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Just when former Jaguars quarterback David Garrard had narrowed his list of suitors, more teams entered the mix. Garrard's agent, Albert Irby, today said that five teams were interested in Garrard last week and that he had winnowed that to two teams over the weekend.
But another team came calling today, Irby said, and Garrard will consider that option as well. Garrard expects to make a decision this week. Irby said he's promised not to reveal the interested teams so as not to undermine their current quarterback starters.
"He wants to go to a team where he can make a difference," Irby said. "He wants to go to a team that can win a Super Bowl. He doesn't want to be a quick fix."
-- Matt Barrows
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