SANTA CLARA, Calif. — So much for that.
The 49ers made a somewhat surprising move Friday by releasing receiver Marqise Lee, whom they signed to a one-year contract on Monday after a successful tryout during the team’s rookie minicamp last weekend.
Taking Lee’s place on the roster is free-agent receiver Bennie Fowler, a seven-year veteran who last season appeared in five games in a bit role with the New Orleans Saints. He signed a one-year contract.
Fowler, who turns 30 next month, began his career as an undrafted free agent with the Denver Broncos from 2014 to 2017. He spent the next two seasons with the New York Giants before signing with New Orleans last season.
Fowler (6-foot-1, 212 pounds) for his career has 97 catches for 1,101 yards and six touchdowns, with his last score coming in 2018 with the Giants. His most productive season came in 2017 with Denver when he recorded 350 yards on 29 catches with three receiving touchdowns.
The reasoning for Lee lasting less than a week is unclear. The 49ers are currently in the second phase of their offseason program, with veterans at their Santa Clara base participating in voluntary workouts.
The 49ers receiver group is perhaps the most uncertain on the roster behind starters Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk. Fowler joins Richie James Jr., Jalen Hurd, Jauan Jennings, Trent Sherfield, Mohamed Sanu, Travis Benjamin, River Cracraft, Kevin White and undrafted rookie Austin Watkins to compete for likely six spots on the Week 1 roster.
Lee, who will turn 30 in November, opted out of the 2020 pandemic season after being released by Jacksonville in April of 2020. He was coming off a disappointing campaign in 2019 in which he appeared in six games and made just three catches. He suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery, just over a year after tearing his ACL during a preseason game that kept him from playing in 2018.
The four years prior, Lee made 171 catches for 2,166 yards with eight touchdowns. His best season came in 2016 with 63 receptions for 851 yards and three touchdowns while playing with quarterback Blake Bortles. It was enough to land a four-year, $38 million contract with the Jaguars months before his knee injury. The deal included $16.5 million in guarantees, but the injuries prevented him from building on the promising start to his career.
