Jacob Cowing has turned into one of the more interesting names in the San Francisco 49ers’ 2026 offseason, and it’s not hard to see why. The Athletic’s Matt Barrows pointed to the third-year wideout as the biggest wild card on the roster, with Cowing drawing attention this spring after two injury-shortened seasons.
For a player who is likely buried deep on the depth chart, Cowing has reportedly stood out during the offseason work. He says he now has a better handle on how to manage the ailments that slowed him early in his career, and if that holds up, San Francisco may finally get the burst it drafted him for.
That speed has always been part of the appeal. Cowing might be the fastest player on the team, he’s dangerous once the ball is in his hands, and he looks like the leading candidate to handle punt returns in 2026.
The 49ers spent a fourth-round pick on him in 2024, taking him No. 135 overall out of Arizona after a college career that included stops at UTEP and Arizona. Across those years, he piled up 268 catches for 4,477 yards and 27 touchdowns. The NFL version has been much quieter so far.
As a rookie, Cowing played in 15 games but caught only four passes for 80 yards. He also returned 28 punts for 245 yards. Then came the setback that wiped out his second season entirely: a hamstring injury in training camp sent him to injured reserve before he could get going in 2025.
Now healthy, Cowing is back in a receiver room that looks different around him. Mike Evans arrived in free agency, Christian Kirk is in the mix, Ricky Pearsall remains a key young piece after going in the first round in 2024, and second-round rookie De'Zhaun Stribling is also part of the competition.
Kyle Shanahan said this spring that he likes what he has seen from the young receivers who returned, especially Cowing and 2025 fourth-rounder Jordan Watkins.
"They all came back healthy," Shanahan said. "I was really excited how Jordan and Jake came back, though.
You could tell they came back - it wasn't just healthy. You could tell they've been putting work in ...
They've come here, to me, to play and work."
With Evans, Kirk and Pearsall projected to sit atop the target pecking order, Cowing’s cleanest route to playing time likely runs through special teams and a supporting role. Still, if he stays healthy, the speed and playmaking ability that made him a draft pick in the first place could put him back in the conversation for more.
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