Report: Garcon expected to sign with 49ers, earn $16M in 1st year

The San Francisco 49ers are expected to sign free-agent wideout Pierre Garcon, reports ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

The deal is worth $16 million in the first year, sources told Mortenson.

It's a stunning figure for a receiver few people consider to be one of the top-20 players at his position.

The 49ers have nearly $100 million in salary cap room to play with entering free agency, and they apparently have identified Garcon as a perfect fit for Kyle Shanahan's offense. The two are familiar with each other from Shanahan's time as Washington Redskins offensive coordinator.

Playing under Shanahan in 2013, Garcon led the NFL with 113 receptions.

The first-year number would place Garcon among the NFL's highest paid pass-catchers, but it's possible the number is the result of a severely front-loaded contract.

Garcon will turn 31 in the summer and is coming off a season in which he caught 79 passes for 1,041 and three touchdowns.