49ers add Marquez Valdes-Scantling, per source. Is Kendrick Bourne next?

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers addressed their threadbare wide receiver room on Wednesday by signing speedster Marquez Valdes-Scantling to a one-year deal, according to a league source.

Valdes-Scantling checks a number of boxes for the 49ers.

He’s a deep threat who averaged 22.6 yards per reception last season in eight games with the New Orleans Saints. The 49ers’ best deep threats, Brandon Aiyuk and Jordan Watkins, are currently injured.

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Valdes-Scantling also has a background in the 49ers’ offense and should be able to get up to speed quickly. He spent his first four seasons with the Green Bay Packers, who run an offense similar to San Francisco’s. He also spent the last 10 months — first with the Saints, then the Seattle Seahawks — under offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak, a disciple of Kyle Shanahan.

He went through the offseason and training camp with the Seahawks, who cut him Tuesday. That is, he ought to provide good details on what the Seahawks, with a new offensive staff, have been working on this offseason. The division rivals open the season against each other in Seattle on Sept. 7.

Mostly, the move gives the 49ers another body at wide receiver.

As it stands now, the only two healthy wideouts on the active roster are Ricky Pearsall and newcomer Skyy Moore. The team is hoping Jauan Jennings, who missed most of training camp with what the team said was a calf strain, resumes practicing soon.

There are downsides, of course.

Valdes-Scantling turns 31 in October. He also failed to make an impact last season in Buffalo, where he had just two catches over the first six games before being released in October. He caught on with the Saints after that and was more productive — 17 catches, 385 yards and four touchdowns — in New Orleans.

He’s also struggled with drops at times. He had three last season and 24 over his career, per Pro Football Focus.

The 49ers might not be finished adding to the position.

On Wednesday, the New England Patriots released one-time 49ers receiver Kendrick Bourne. According to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, Bourne asked for his release after the Patriots kept eight receivers on their initial roster. The 49ers have already shown interest in reuniting with Bourne, according to a league source, although he has interest from other teams as well.

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Bourne, 30, had 28 catches for 305 yards in New England last season.

The Niners did not add a wideout via waivers on Wednesday, but they did claim defensive tackle Jordan Jefferson, who was waived by the Jacksonville Jaguars on Tuesday.

Jefferson, a 2024 fourth-round pick from LSU, appeared in eight games as a rookie last season, finishing with 12 tackles and three quarterback pressures.

San Francisco will need to make corresponding roster moves to make room for Valdes-Scantling and Jefferson on the 53-man roster. The team did not have any of its own players claimed off waivers. Undrafted rookie defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez, who was a surprise cut on Tuesday, is expected to join the team’s practice squad, a league source said.

(Photo of Marquez Valdes-Scantling: Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Images)

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