Jordan Watkins didn’t have much to show from his rookie year with the San Francisco 49ers. Injuries kept him sidelined for most of the season, and he was active in only four games. When he did get on the field, he caught two passes for 26 yards.
That’s a thin résumé, but Watkins may be walking into the kind of preseason stretch that can change how he’s viewed.
The reason is simple: the 49ers’ receiver group is getting stretched. Mike Evans has missed time, Christian Kirk has been on the PUP, and Deebo Samuel, who was recently signed, is still shaking off rust. Because all three are veterans, it’s unlikely any of them will suit up for the preseason.
That opens the door for the younger guys, though they’re not all fully healthy either. Rookie De’Zhaun Stribling has been banged up, but the team would still like to get a look at him if he’s ready to go. Jacob Cowing is also dealing with an injury, and there’s a chance he won’t make it back in time to play.
San Francisco does have Demarcus Robinson and newly signed Khadarel Hodge, and both should get plenty of snaps. They’re established veterans, though, so the team already knows what it has there. Behind them sits a deeper group that includes Junior Bergen, Malik Turner, Trenton Irwing, and undrafted rookies Wesley Grimes and Will Pauling.
Bergen stands out mostly because of his return ability, not because he has flashed much as a receiver. He’s the only one of that group with a real shot at a roster spot, and the others are likely to get work deep into the second half of the first preseason game. Early on, though, the 49ers are expected to rotate through Robinson, Hodge, Stribling and Watkins.
Stribling may be the most intriguing name in the bunch, but Watkins is the one with the most to prove. If he can show speed from the slot, he could make Christian Kirk expendable and carve out a useful role as the fourth receiver.
There’s also a special teams path here. With Cowing hurt, Watkins should get more chances in the punt return game. The second-year player could use this stretch to grab a role on offense and claim a starting job on special teams.
For a former fourth-round pick who had a mostly lost rookie season, this could be a big couple of weeks.
In Other News...
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For that reason, the free-agent market still has a couple of names that make sense as the camp grind wears on. Veteran help is always appealing in August, and the 49ers know the value of players who already understand the system and the standard. San Francisco has at least two former linemen in that conversation, with one recently working back from an offseason procedure and the other openly interested in a return, leaving the door cracked if the team decides experience is the best short-term answer. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Camp Battle Is Heating Up In Two Crucial Defensive Spots
The 49ers eighth day of training camp came with the usual mix of missing veterans, fresh reps and a little more clarity about where this defense is headed. Brock Purdy helped keep the offense lively with a 60-yard touchdown strike to KhaDarel Hodge, but the bigger camp story has been on the other side of the ball, where Raheem Morris is installing a more versatile hybrid scheme and asking a lot of younger players as the roster starts to take shape.
A new fever backer role has added another layer to the competition, especially with camp battles unfolding in two spots that could matter once the season gets moving. Several defenders are being pushed into new responsibilities, and the cross-training has become part of the evaluation process as the 49ers sort out who can handle the demands of the scheme and who can help stabilize a defense that is still very much under construction. [Read more 🡒]