Anybody looking at the 49ers’ depth chart and reading the early updates as they go through OTAs would be forgiven for being concerned about the state of the wide receiver position.

Brandon Aiyuk may not be ready for Week 1, there’s a chance Demarcus Robinson could be suspended for the start of the season and — though his hamstring issue is not considered serious — last year’s first-round pick Ricky Pearsall is already dealing with an injury that is likely to keep him out until training camp.

As such, there is the possibility that the 49ers could open their season against the Seattle Seahawks with Pearsall, Jauan Jennings and one of either Jacob Cowing or rookie Jordan Watkins as their top three receivers.

That prospect may lead some to believe the 49ers will make another addition at wide receiver, and that is something general manager John Lynch did not rule out when asked by KNBR.

“You never close the door on that,” Lynch said. “I don’t think we have to. Like I said, I think there’s a lot of quality and a lot of competition, and you kind of let that play out. And if opportunity presents itself to get better, then we’ll always be interested in that. But right now, we don’t feel like we’re in a situation where we have to.”

Lynch’s comments, while leaving the door open to a potential wide receiver move, are not those of a general manager who is going to pick up the phone to attempt to strike a trade for Tyreek Hill, as ProFootballTalk’s Mike Florio suggested they should do.

The 49ers took a look at Gabe Davis, while a veteran free agent Amari Cooper could have some appeal.

But Lynch’s words point to the high likelihood that this is an offseason in which the 49ers are going to back themselves to develop the young talent they have at receiver.

And he is clearly confident that Pearsall and Cowing are on the right track.

Pearsall came on strong down the stretch last season after missing the first six games with the injury he sustained in a shooting last August. Cowing played sparingly on offense, but flashed some promise as a downfield threat with his speed and route-running craft.

Lynch added:

“Ricky’s had a really good offseason. I know a lot of people learned yesterday [about the injury]. Kudos to Kyle. A lot of coaches, this time of year, you don’t have to give injuries. There’s no secrets. We’re not trying to hide anything. Ricky’s worked his tail off this offseason. He and Jake Cowing have really approached this offseason, and they’ve attacked it. It’s a shame he kind of got tweaked, but like I said, we’ve been out here working hard, and you’re always going to have a lot of caution this time of year. And I think it allows us to have a little more caution when we know the work Ricky’s put in. He’s in great shape. Ricky’s going to be a really good football player in this league, I think, for a long time, so we’re excited about that.”

He then said of Cowing: “Now, you’ve got to carry that over to training camp, and then, onto the field. But a lot to be encouraged of.”

The 49ers also boast a couple of intriguing talents fighting for a roster spot in the form of Terique Owens, who they signed as an undrafted free agent last year, and Isaiah Neyor. One of the most athletic receivers in the 2025 class, Neyor was signed as a UDFA and offers a tantalizing blend of height, weight and speed. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds at 6ft 4in and 218 pounds, recording a Relative Athletic Score of 9.9 out of 10.

With tight end George Kittle sure to continue to be a focal point of the offense and Christian McCaffrey a running back who raises the floor of the passing game significantly when healthy, the 49ers don’t need to rely overly heavily on their young receivers right now.

But, with the 49ers unlikely to invest in another veteran at the position, it is important for their short-term goals and the long-term health of the offense that at least some of their recent additions at receiver build a strong rapport with quarterback Brock Purdy and become impactful contributors.

There is more obvious pressure on the rookie additions in the front seven to quickly make an impact in year one as the defense looks to enjoy a bounce-back season in 2025. However, the development of the more inexperienced members of the wide receiver corps is a storyline that should be watched closely as the 49ers move towards minicamp and then training camp next month.