The 49ers got the win they needed against Seattle in Week 5, but the price tag was steep. Deebo Samuel left with a hamstring injury and is expected to miss at least several weeks, which sends San Francisco deeper into a receiver group that was already running thin.
That leaves Kyle Shanahan in a spot he probably didn’t want to be in. Outside of Mike Evans, the best option available for Week 6 is newly signed veteran Brandin Cooks, and that’s part of why the Niners may need to revisit a name they’ve already been tied to: Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Thomas was floated as a possible San Francisco fit earlier this year, though those rumors were always more speculative than concrete. Even so, the fit makes more sense now than it did then. He doesn’t check every box Shanahan usually wants from a receiver, especially when it comes to blocking, but the 49ers’ current situation may force a little flexibility.
Thomas is reportedly being squeezed out of the Jaguars’ rotation for reasons that include his blocking, and that same flaw would not sit well in San Francisco either. Shanahan has benched receivers for less. But the reality has changed: the 49ers have lost the luxury of being picky.
Thomas is still on his rookie deal, which makes him an appealing option from a cost standpoint. More importantly, he offers something San Francisco badly needs right now - upside. He’s the kind of player who can stretch the field even if he’s not a fit for every snap, and that matters for an offense that has started to wobble.
The cracks have shown up over the last few weeks. The 49ers managed only three points in the first half against Denver, and 21 of their 32 points in Week 5 came off turnovers against Seattle. Young receivers like Ricky Pearsall and De'Zhaun Stribling were supposed to bring some explosion to the offense, and the loss of Demarcus Robinson in Week 3 only made the shortage more obvious.
Right now, San Francisco doesn’t really have a true threat to take the top off a defense. Adding a burner like Thomas would give Brock Purdy a downfield weapon and help stretch the field.
Even if he’s mostly running go routes to hold coverage in place, that has value. And with Shanahan calling the plays and Purdy capable of pushing the ball deep, there’s still a chance Thomas could rediscover the kind of playmaking he flashed as a rookie just a couple of years ago.
In Other News...
49ers Fans Had Every Reason To Watch Seattles Brutal Late Call
A playoff finish in Seattle had plenty of 49ers fans glued to the screen, and not just because of the rivalry. On a crucial fourth-and-10 catch by Cooper Kupp, the officials ruled him short of the first-down marker, and even after a replay review the call stayed on the field. The sequence had the kind of tension that makes every angle matter, with the spot and the sideline both under scrutiny in real time.
For San Francisco followers, the intrigue was in how the moment was handled and what it meant in the bigger picture of a high-stakes postseason game. Seattle was left needing just one more answer on a night where the margin was already razor thin, and the outcome only added to the sense that one late ruling had carried enormous weight in a 32-29 finish. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Survived A Wild Finish That Says Plenty About Brock Purdy
For much of Sunday, the 49ers and Seahawks traded punches in a game that never quite settled into one rhythm, with turnovers, field goals and quick-strike scores giving it the feel of a divisional roller coaster. Brock Purdy had his fingerprints on plenty of the important moments, navigating a messy afternoon and helping keep San Francisco in position as the lead changed hands and the tension built late.
The final stretch brought even more chaos, with the 49ers suddenly facing the kind of pressure that can expose every flaw in a close game. San Francisco had to answer after a brutal sequence that left it scrambling to recover momentum, and Purdys response only sharpened the conversation around how much he can carry when a game turns frantic. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Evans Just Gave 49ers Fans A New Reason To Believe
Mike Evans is already giving the 49ers the kind of presence they hoped for when they brought him in on a three-year deal in March. Against the Seahawks, he was a steady problem all game, working his way to big gains and helping San Francisco stay on the front foot with a touchdown and a two-point conversion among his key contributions.
The more memorable moment came when Evans got into a brief trash-talking exchange with Seahawks cornerback Trevon Diggs, a scene that made the broadcast rounds and added a little extra edge to an already physical game. Evans later said he did not realize who he was jawing with at first because of the helmet, a small detail that only added to the oddness of a chippy divisional matchup and the buzz surrounding his early impact in San Francisco. [Read more 🡒]