The 49ers’ receiver room looks a lot different than it did a year ago, and that change could push Demarcus Robinson right off the roster.
San Francisco entered last season with Christian McCaffrey as its leading wide receiver in yardage, a clear sign the group was thin on the outside. This year, the picture has shifted after the signing of Mike Evans and the second-round selection of De'Zhaun Stribling.
That upgrade leaves Robinson in a precarious spot. The 31-year-old is heading into his 10th season and has built his career as a deep threat. He was also part of the 2019 Kansas City Chiefs team that beat the 49ers in the Super Bowl.
His production in San Francisco didn’t do much to strengthen his case. Robinson finished last season with 276 receiving yards in 14 games, then delivered a much bigger moment in the postseason. Against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card Round, he caught six passes for 111 yards and a touchdown in what was a career game.
Even with that playoff flash, the numbers and the depth chart are working against him. Evans and Stribling are ahead of him, along with Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk. Jordan Watkins, who is 24, may also have a better shot at sticking because of his contract, which is just over $1.2 million.
Robinson is set to make $4 million, and if he is on the active roster for Week 1, San Francisco would owe him all of it. That salary makes him a tough fit when the 49ers already have at least five receivers ahead of him.
The 49ers also didn’t treat him like a centerpiece last season, even when the offense was short-handed. Kendrick Bourne, Jauan Jennings, and Pearsall all finished with more receiving yards than Robinson, and Pearsall did it in only nine games.
So while fans will remember the postseason outburst, Robinson’s time in San Francisco appears close to ending. If the move comes, it would not be hard to see supporters wishing him well wherever he lands next.
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