Brandon Lloyd signs with San Francisco 49ers
Brandon Lloyd (85) is tackled by San Francisco 49ers defensive back Chris Culliver (29). Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco 49ers have an intriguing second-year talent in Quinton Patton who could be a nice No. 3 wide receiver to the stalwart duo of Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin, but the 49ers have still been looking for an upgrade at the wide receiver position for a couple of months now. They’ve been involved in rumors for the likes of Julian Edelman, Hakeem Nicks, and even rumblings in the DeSean Jackson sweepstakes, and it’s clear to me that their goal has been to add a wide receiver in the slot, a playmaker after the catch, or a playmaker deep down the field.
After showing some limited interest in him last offseason, the 49ers decided to call up Brandon Lloyd this offseason, and Lloyd certainly knows what it’s like to play in the Bay Area after spending the first three seasons of his career with the Niners. Both sides have been in talks for maybe a week, and the 49ers have announced that they have signed Lloyd to a one-year deal.
This contract comes at no risk for the 49ers, and that’s obvious for a player like Lloyd, whose heart didn’t seem to be in football last season after his release from the New England Patriots. Although he caught over 70 passes for the Patriots in 2012, he offered nothing after the catch and was a shell of his former self as a deep threat. The 49ers are taking smart, calculating risk in Lloyd, because Trent Baalke could be giving Jim Harbaugh and Colin Kaepernick a speedy wide receiver capable of making circus catches downfield if Lloyd is motivated and not overly worried about getting injured. I like this low-risk, veteran signing for the 49ers, and it will be interesting to see how he does as the fourth option in the attack. It will also be interesting to see how many opportunities Patton gets in his second year.