Deepest ever? Why 49ers should be set at WR

"The 49ers have never had a group of wide receivers as deep and talented as the one they had sprinting around their practice field this offseason."Yes, that's what I wrote on Thursday. "Deep and talented." Those are the words I used. And I'll stand by that statement. But it is certainly worth debating as the 49ers get set for the opening of training camp late next month.Of course, nobody on the current 49ers roster can compare with Jerry Rice in his prime. At the top of his game, Randy Moss would've ranked a shade below Rice. But Moss, who's 35 and did not play in the NFL last season, is not in his prime.Any wide-receiving corps that includes Rice in his prime must be considered the best in franchise history. No question. And the Rice-John Taylor combo is unequaled, too.
In making the above statement, I was referring to depth -- a combination of looking at the 11 receivers on the 49ers' 90-man roster from the bottom up, as well as from the top down.RELATED: 49ers roster
Moss, Michael Crabtree, Ted Ginn and A.J. Jenkins were first-round draft picks. Ginn is only 27. His best season came in his second year, 2008 with the Miami Dolphins, when he caught 56 passes for 790 yards. He'll have a difficult time getting on the field for action other than special teams this season.
Jenkins' talent is undeniable. And, likewise, it will not be easy for him to work his way onto the field early in his career because of the fierce competition within this position group.Mario Manningham comes over from the New York Giants. In 2009 and '10, Manningham averaged nearly 60 catches for more than 880 yards. Last year, he supplied a key play in the Giants' Super Bowl victory. A four-year veteran, Manningham is only 26. His best play should be ahead of him.Assuming Crabtree and Moss are the starters, Manningham gives the 49ers a strong No. 3 option. Where I see things are a lot different with this year's camp roster is the team's talent after their top three wideouts.Kyle Williams had 20 catches last year with three touchdowns. Long shot Brett Swain played 16 games for the Green Bay Packers in 2010, catching six passes. He had a couple passes thrown his way in the Packers' Super Bowl win but did not have a reception. Joe Hastings was promoted late last season to the 49ers' active roster as a rookie. He also faces a difficult climb to make the team.And the three undrafted free agents the 49ers signed -- Nathan Palmer, Chris Owusu and Brian Tyms -- are no slouches, either.Here are some of the comparable groupings of 49ers receivers that readers mentioned:
--In 1994, the 49ers had Nate Singleton (21 catches, 294 yards, two TDs) and Ed McCaffrey (11-131-2) as their third and fourth receivers behind Rice and Taylor. Singleton's career fizzled, while McCaffrey's took off with three 1,000-yard seasons in nine years with the Denver Broncos.--In 1995, a declining John Taylor (33 years old) was the No. 3 with Singleton No. 4 behind Rice and J.J. Stokes. Taylor caught 29 passes for 387 yards and two TDs, while Singleton went 8-108-1.
--In 1987, Rice was phenomenal during the strike-shortened season with 22 TDs. Behind him were Mike Wilson (29-450-5), Dwight Clark (24-290-5). Wilson was 20, Clark was 30.