San Francisco 49ers to decline option on WR Pierre Garcon

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- The San Francisco 49ers plan to let wide receiver Pierre Garcon hit free agency.

Sources told the NFL Network on Thursday that the 49ers will not pick up the contract option on Garcon.

The 32-year-old receiver struggled to stay healthy in his short stint with San Francisco. Garcon played 16 total games in two seasons with the franchise. He missed eight contests in the 2018 season due to knee and shoulder injuries.

The 49ers will be hit with $7.2 million in dead money while saving just $1.075 million on the salary cap, indicating that San Francisco will cut Garcon based on his lack of production.

Sources told the NFL Network that Garcon, who turns 33 in August, plans to continue his playing career.

Garcon joins a thin free-agent market for receivers, meaning he could find a landing spot on a team requiring a veteran presence at wideout.

The Indianapolis Colts selected Garcon in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. The receiver joined the Washington Redskins in 2012 and spent five seasons with the team. The 49ers signed Garcon to a five-year, $47.5 million contract on March 9, 2017.

Garcon has 628 receptions, 7,854 receiving yards and 38 touchdowns in 11 NFL seasons.