The Giants are in the middle of training camp, and the receiver room already looks like one of the most interesting parts of the roster.
Malik Nabers is back on the field after the torn ACL that shut him down last season, and he’s making major progress toward being ready for Week 1. New faces are in the mix too, with the Giants adding Calvin Austin III, Darnell Mooney and Juju Smith-Schuster in free agency. Then there’s the return of Odell Beckham, which only adds more juice to the competition.
All of that makes the depth chart battle worth watching, but it also leaves Jalin Hyatt in a tough spot. The 2023 third-round pick, now 24, came into the league with real expectations, but through three seasons he has only 36 catches. At this point, it looks unlikely he’ll survive to the 53-man roster.
That’s why the Giants should be exploring a trade instead of simply letting him go at the end of preseason. If another team sees something worth betting on, New York ought to find out before Hyatt hits the waiver wire.
The San Francisco 49ers could be one of those teams. Their former first-round pick Ricky Pearsall will undergo season-ending surgery after aggravating a knee injury that had been bothering him since last season, and the setback hit in the first week of training camp. It’s another tough break for a 49ers team that seems to keep running into the injury bug.
San Francisco also recently agreed to bring Deebo Samuel back, but with the ongoing saga of Brandon Aiyuk, the receiver group still feels unfinished. Hyatt hasn’t shown enough to be viewed as a sure thing, but that may not stop the 49ers from taking a low-cost swing. A sixth- or seventh-round pick could be enough to get them interested.
For the Giants, that kind of return would at least give them something back for a player they spent a premium pick on just three years ago. And with third-rounder Malachi Fields already turning heads in camp, New York may already have enough at receiver to move on from Hyatt.
In Other News...
Aldon Smith Update Leaves 49ers Fans With Painful New Questions
The release of a 911 audio recording has brought a painful new layer to the story of Aldon Smiths death, offering a glimpse into the emergency response after the former 49ers defensive end was found unresponsive in a vehicle on June 13. The call from Amir Shirazi and the frantic scene around Smith have renewed attention on a player whose career once flashed at a star level in San Francisco before off-field struggles and an early exit from the NFL became part of his legacy.
What makes the latest update so difficult for former teammates and fans is how much is still unknown. Smiths family has retained legal counsel to investigate the circumstances, and while the recording adds troubling detail to those final moments, the official cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, leaving a painful gap where answers would normally be. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Aiyuk Keeps Making One 49ers Rift Harder To Ignore
Brandon Aiyuks offseason has only added another layer to a situation the 49ers would probably prefer to keep quiet. While the veteran receiver has made it clear on social media that Washington is his preferred landing spot if he is ever released by San Francisco, the backdrop here matters too: Deebo Samuel already came back to the 49ers after a stint with the Commanders, and linebacker Dre Greenlaw also returned after spending a year away. For a team that has seen players circle back before, Aiyuks public posture stands out all the more.
The contrast with Samuel has been hard to miss, especially because Aiyuks social media presence has leaned into criticism of Kyle Shanahan rather than reconciliation. That leaves the 49ers in an awkward spot, with one of their most prominent receivers openly pushing in a different direction while the rest of the roster churn has already shown how unusual, and how complicated, these separations and reunions can get. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Are Learning To Operate Without Kyle Shanahan Right Now
Kyle Shanahans absence around the 49ers facility has been the latest reminder that even in the summer, a teams rhythm can change quickly when its head coach is suddenly less visible. Shanahan has been recovering from a concussion and other injuries suffered in a recent car accident, and his reduced presence has pushed the staff into a different kind of routine as San Francisco keeps moving through its preseason work.
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said the coaches and players have adjusted to operating with less of Shanahan day to day, which is a useful sign for a team trying to keep its preparations steady. There is still plenty of time before the 49ers kick off in Australia, and the expectation remains that Shanahan will be back in place for that season opener, but for now the focus has been on maintaining the normal workflow without its usual centerpiece. [Read more 🡒]