The 49ers’ 90-man roster has taken shape, and camp battles are already developing on paper with organized team activities due to open May 20.
Some positions won’t have a lot of competition. Jimmy Garoppolo is locked in at the top of the depth chart. So are players like George Kittle and Dee Ford. Other spots will have a ton of competition based on the personnel on the roster going into OTAs. This is our seven-part series on the biggest roster battles we’ll have an eye on throughout the offseason.
Fixing a limited receiving corps stood close to the top of the 49ers’ priority list going into the offseason. Instead of overspending in a limited free-agent class, they scooped up former Eagles receiver Jordan Matthews, and spent two of their first three draft picks on receivers Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd.
Those three will dive into a competition that could result in a dramatically different group of receivers than the 49ers ran out last season. With a need for playmakers on the perimeter, and added scoring threats in the red zone, San Francisco’s battle for roster spots at receiver could wind up defining how high their offense can climb in 2019.
With Samuel, Hurd, and second-year man Dante Pettis all locks to make the team, we’ll break down how the battle for the rest of the receiver jobs shakes out.
The contenders
Marquise Goodwin – Year 7
Kendrick Bourne – Year 3
Richie James – Year 2
Trent Taylor – Year 3
Jordan Matthews – Year 6
The low-down
Injuries took their toll on the 49ers’ receiving corps last season, and it showed in the lack of productivity from that group. Bourne’s 42 catches for 487 yards were both highs for the position. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said this offseason that finding more players who can play multiple receiver positions would be key for the development of their pass catchers.
Goodwin and Taylor both struggled in 2018 after promising 2017 campaigns. Goodwin was injured in Week 1, and Taylor dealt with the effects of offseason back surgery. Their limited production a season ago isn’t likely to define their status going into 2019, but it removed them from the locks to make the roster.
Bourne is at a turning point going into 2019. His third year should result in some step forward that shows he can be a productive option on a crowded receiver depth chart. His inability to contribute on special teams could wind up playing a role in whether he lands on the final roster.
Special teams could wind up saving James, a seventh-round pick who failed to emerge on a banged up roster in his rookie year. He flashed his explosive, big play ability a couple of times though as a receiver and in the return game. Consistency as a return man would surely be a valuable asset in this group.
Perhaps the most intriguing candidate on the team is Matthews. He had a very productive first three seasons before declining over the last two years. He’s still just 26, and provides a big-bodied slot option who can also be deployed outside.
With the 49ers likely to keep three of the five receivers mentioned, whittling this group down could be the most difficult decision the coaching staff makes.
The prediction
It’s not out of the realm of possibilities that the newcomer Matthews edges out one of the incumbents to land a spot on the roster. However, for now, the favorites to grab receiver jobs seem clear. Goodwin, Bourne and Taylor appear to be the frontrunners with Samuel and Hurd capable of taking on the role of a big-bodied pass catcher in the slot.
Matthews could still make the club if he proves to be a do-everything player who can stretch the field vertically, get open in the red zone and provide a reliable third-down target for quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The revitalization of his NFL career can’t be counted out in Shanahan’s offense.
Losing James would be tough because he is such a talented player, and health was a big reason he fell to Round 7 in the 2018 draft. He proved he could play a 16-game NFL season last year though, meaning he wouldn’t likely slip through the cracks if the 49ers tried to sneak him onto the practice squad.
The Goodwin-Bourne-Taylor combination offers a good complement to Pettis, Samuel and Hurd though. That’s a strong group of route runners, with good speed and a variation of options in the slot.
Ultimately the 49ers are in a position where they’re going to need to cut a talented receiver or two. That means their 90-man roster, and subsequently their 53-man roster, are in a good position to improve a receiving corps that was among the NFL’s worst from a production standpoint last year.
.jpg?w=600)
