SANTA CLARA — Being a rookie wide receiver in the 49ers’ offense is a tall task, and while there are a few who have stood out, coach Kyle Shanahan knows there is a significant amount of work yet to be done.
“They’re spinning right now,” Shanahan said on Sunday after the 49ers completed their fourth practice of training camp. “Once you think you’ve got it, it gets a lot worse the next day.”
With Brandon Aiyuk’s timeline to return uncertain, Demarcus Robinson facing up to a three-game suspension and Jauan Jennings leaving practice early due to a calf injury, there will be opportunities for younger players to see the field. How well they perform in the next few weeks will show who has been doing their homework.
“Today was our first call-it period, which means it wasn’t scripted, so they have no idea what’s coming,” Shanahan explained. “I think that showed a little bit of rust. I think they’re in their playbooks, but they definitely can’t be content with it. They’ve got to get into more, they’ve got to get more of these reps, and we’ve got to keep challenging them.”
Shanahan also does not put too much value in the reps players have until the pads go on, on Monday. Isaiah Neyor had the most eye-popping catch of camp thus far — a 50-yard bomb from Mac Jones, but Shanahan will reserve judgment for a while.
“I think he’s done a good job,” Shanahan said of the rookie. “I mean, all those guys are getting a lot of reps, and we’ve got a lot of young guys getting opportunities. He got a lot of opportunities in OTAs. We’ve been moving him around. He made a big play a couple days ago, and he’s just competing like the rest of the group out there right now.”
Ricky Pearsall also should be heavily featured in the rotation, having returned to practice after suffering a hamstring injury during the offseason. On Sunday, the second-year receiver was on the field for eight offensive reps, targeted four times for three completions. His draft classmate Jacob Cowing, who was having a standout offseason, has been sidelined with a hamstring injury and is expected to return for joint practices with the Las Vegas Raiders during the week of Aug. 16.
Another rookie who has been getting a fair amount of reps is Jordan Watkins. The Mississippi product has made some splash receptions but also had a few drops and missed assignments, all of which are expected of rookies.
“I thought in these four practices he’s done a good job,” Shanahan said of Watkins. “But like I was saying earlier, we’ve got to get pads on, see how they really hit it. You’ve got to try to make this team first and foremost. And I think that’s tough at each position. And then you want to try to get on the field.”
Junior Bergen is the third rookie of the group, who is trying to make the most of every rep. Second-year players like Terique Owens and Malik Knowles also are battling with the veterans that the 49ers signed to the group, including Equanimeous St. Brown, Russell Gage Jr., Quintez Cephus and Isaiah Hodgins.
“You’ve got to find a way to fit in our scheme and what we like,” Shanahan said. “And if we brought you here, it means we like you. And now it’s using that skillset with how it fits in our offense, and there’s a very fine line with that and takes time to do.”
Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast
Read the full article here
