Breaking Down The 49ers roster: Wide Receiver/Tight End

After taking a look at the situation at both quarterback and running back for the San Francisco 49ers, it's now time to examine the team's status at wide receiver and tight end as we approach the off-season.

Receiver is a genuine area of need for San Francisco heading into free-agency and the 2014 draft.

Indeed, the 49ers struggled at the position in the 2013 campaign, with only Anquan Boldin impressing in the absence of Michael Crabtree, who returned late in the season to play a key role in San Francisco's run to the NFC Championship game.

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick leaned heavily on Boldin and tight end Vernon Davis - who caught 13 touchdowns in the regular season and two in the playoffs - as Crabtree recovered from an Achilles injury suffered in organised team activities last May.

Kaepernick did not appear to trust any receiver outside of that trio, although rookie Quinton Patton demonstrated flashes of promise towards the end of an injury-disrupted season for the 2013 fourth-round pick.

Meanwhile, Mario Manningham ended the season on injured reserve and Jon Baldwin, acquired in a trade with the Kansas City Chiefs, failed to impress.

Manningham is a free agent and will likely not be back but, while depth at receiver is much needed, the 49ers first priority must be to re-sign Boldin before he is allowed to hit the open market.

Put simply, the 49ers would not have made the playoffs without Boldin's 1,179 yards and seven touchdowns.

San Francisco do have salary cap concerns and the prospective contract extensions of 2015 free agents Kaepernick, Crabtree, Aldon Smith and Mike Iupati to consider. Still, they simply cannot afford to let a receiver of Boldin's calibre move to a rival.

Boldin has already hinted that he would like to return in 2014, but even if the 11-year veteran does re-sign with San Francisco, the 49ers still need to add another receiver to bolster a passing attack that ranked 30th in passing in the NFL in 2013.

Options in free agency aside from the Denver Broncos' Eric Decker appear slim, however, there is a substantial receiving class in the draft that the 49ers should look to exploit.

The lack of a deep receiving threat with the ability to stretch the field is an issue that the 49ers have struggled with for years, while their red-zone offence could be hugely improved by the presence of a big-bodied pass catcher.

San Francisco can easily address either of those needs in the draft, but with potential holes in the secondary to fill, it is difficult to envisage two early-round receivers heading to the 49ers.

Clemson's Sammy Watkins is predicted to be the top receiver in the draft and should be off the board way before the 49ers 30th overall pick.

But with 11 picks in the draft, the 49ers could execute a trade to move up and select a receiver.

Texas A&M's Mike Evans - a physical player with distinct similarities to Boldin - is considered a potential candidate, while Florida State's Kelvin Benjamin may well fall to number 30 and provide San Francisco with that red-zone target after winning the National Championship with the Seminoles.

The likes of Penn State's Allen Robinson, Oregon State's Brandin Cooks and LSU's Jarvis Landry have also tipped as possible selections.

And, with a deep receiver class and a high number of picks, the 49ers have the ammunition to significantly improve their offence in 2014.

Tight end, by stark contrast, does not figure to be a concern for San Francisco following another strong season from Davis, signed until 2016.

Derek Carrier, Garrett Celek and Vance McDonald are the other tight ends on the roster, and the 49ers will hope that the latter can begin to justify a second-round selection after a disappointing rookie year.