49ers Banking on Another Young Wideout Making an Impact With 13th Pick Isn't Good for Jimmy Garoppolo

That sound you hear is the winds of change blowing through the San Francisco 49ers organization. After losing Super Bowl LIV, the 49ers are at the stage where they have to pay their stars, who are currently on their rookie contracts. Usually, there are corresponding moves that follow.

San Francisco traded defensive tackle DeForest Buckner to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for their 13th overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Rumors are speculating that the 49ers will likely use the selection to choose a rookie wide receiver, especially after veteran Emmanuel Sanders signed with the New Orleans Saints.

While drafting a rookie receiver is good a majority of the time, it certainly won't help quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who needs an experienced No. 1 veteran on the outside to help his progression.

Yes, this year's wide receiver draft class is absolutely stacked, and either Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, or CeeDee Lamb will be enticing options. But the 49ers shouldn't be using the 13th pick to take one of them. San Francisco is at the point where they need to add more veterans to help compete for the Super Bowl this upcoming season.

The 49ers offense really didn't succeed last season until they made the move to acquire Sanders from the Denver Broncos at the trade deadline. Not only did Garoppolo benefit from Sanders' presence, but so did second-round selection Deebo Samuel. Defenses focused on the veteran, allowing Samuel to break away in single coverage.

Now that Sanders is gone, Samuel is the undisputed WR1 on the roster, which means he'll be doubled up defensively this upcoming campaign. Drafting a rookie won't help Garoppolo grow as a quarterback. He needs a top-tier wideout for him to lead the 49ers back to the Super Bowl.

Here's a tip for the 49ers: flip either the 13th or 31st overall pick for Odell Beckham Jr. or AJ Green. That would really help Garoppolo progress in 2020 and beyond.