The opening round of the wide receiver free-agency market saw the San Francisco 49ers waiting patiently on the sideline as big-name players signed big-dollar deals in the first few hours.
The more methodical pace of Round 2 was more San Francisco’s style.
The team hosted two receivers Wednesday, Raiders free agent Chaz Schilens and St. Louis’ Brandon Lloyd, and plans to look at more wideouts later in the week.
That includes the New York Giants’ Mario Manningham and Denver’s Eddie Royal, who visited San Diego on Wednesday. Another receiver the 49ers were interested in, Dallas’ Laurent Robinson, signed a five-year deal with Jacksonville on Wednesday.
The 49ers also hosted 11-year veteran guard Leonard Davis. If he signed, he would compete for the right guard spot left vacant when Adam Snyder signed a five-year deal with Arizona on Wednesday.
San Francisco’s offensive line played better when Snyder replaced Chilo Rachal, who also is a free agent, in Week 4 against Philadelphia. Snyder started the rest of the season and in both playoff games. Along with quarterback Alex Smith and left tackle Joe Staley, he was one of the chief organizers of the player-run workouts and practices at San Jose State during last year’s lockout.
Still, the 49ers never came close to the contract Snyder was seeking and let him go to a division rival.
His departure was a near repeat of last year, when the 49ers lost another longtime offensive lineman, center Davis Baas, to the Giants. In both cases, the 49ers placed a value on the linemen that was lower than that of the teams courting them.
Like Baas, Snyder will face his old team – twice a year – and perhaps be charged with protecting a quarterback named Manning. The Cardinals are one of the front-runners to land free agent Peyton Manning.
Davis, meanwhile, spent the 2011 season with Detroit but was inactive for most of the season. If signed, he would compete at right guard with second-year player Daniel Kilgore, who received scant playing time as a rookie last year.
Davis, 33, also would beef up the right side of the line. While Snyder dropped weight – to about 300 pounds – before last season, Davis is listed at 355 pounds. If he started, he would line up next to 323-pound tackle Anthony Davis with the possibility of another Davis, 250-pound tight end Vernon, situated at the end of the line.
Receiver, however, continues to be the 49ers’ main concern, and they are taking their time in finding one who can complement presumed starters Michael Crabtree and Randy Moss.
Each of the players they are considering has his own appeal. The 6-foot-4 Schilens offers size, Lloyd has a nine-year veteran’s savvy, Manningham made huge catches in the playoffs, and Royal has speed and special-teams ability.
The 49ers’ 2011 return man, free agent Ted Ginn, visited the Lions on Wednesday, and there is a growing likelihood he won’t be back. Royal handled kick and punt returns for Denver the last four seasons. Over that span, he took 81 punts, had an 11.9-yard return average, scored two touchdowns and fumbled three times.
Each receiver, however, has several suitors, and Schilens is scheduled to meet with the New York Jets on Thursday.
