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The San Francisco 49ers added two players to their wide receivers group via the draft. The team selected
Deebo Samuel in the second round and then Jalen Hurd one round later. Many draft experts saw Samuel as a good fit as a slot receiver and Hurd as a potential wildcard who could do damage in several ways.
New 49ers wide receivers coach Wes Welker recently
joined the 49ers Insider Podcast and discussed the two rookies. He feels Samuel is versatile enough to play any receiver position. He will, however, need to lose some weight to perform effectively in the slot, says Welker.
"I think he's a guy that you can play inside or outside," Welker told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. "He's definitely a bigger body but he does have good quickness, and speed, and all those different things.
"Me and him, we keep on talking. If he wants to play in the slot, he's going to have to lose a few pounds. That's something that we're working on now, and he's working hard to do it. We're going to keep on just harping on him of doing that. He's had a great attitude about it.
"He's looked really good, and I'm excited about how far he's come so far. And we're just going to keep on working on it."
Welker went on to explain why Samuel has to shed some pounds to play in the slot.
"I think the more weight you have, the more getting in and out of breaks becomes tougher," Welker said. "I love his size, and I love his physicality and everything, but we're still going to want to be able to use him on some of those plays where you really want him to get in and out of those breaks. The lighter you are when you're doing that, the better off you're going to be."
As for Hurd, the rookie has been missing some practice time as the 49ers ease him back into football shape. He injured his knee in Baylor's regular-season finale against Texas Tech and elected to undergo surgery on December 4.
RELATED 49ers assistant Wes Welker explains why Trent Taylor is so easy to coach
"He's been working hard," Welker said. "He's been a little banged up this spring, so it's more been about the mental part for him. He's missing out on a lot of reps out there right now. He's just got to get his body right and on top of that, just staying on top of the playbook just because he's not getting all those reps.
"Absolutely, with his size and his athleticism of being able to play running back, being able to play wide receiver, being able to do a lot of different things is a great matchup for us. But losing these reps and the different things we want to do with him, kind of sets him back. So he's got a lot of making up to do and a lot of work ahead of him to get caught up."
You can listen to the entire interview with Welker below.
It's evident that the San Francisco 49ers engaged in long-term financial planning. Much discussion has centered around the feasibility of the team committing significant financial resources to two wide receivers, Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel. Some skeptics question the wisdom of such heavy investment in a single position, especially considering that the 49ers handed Samuel a substantial three-year extension merely two years ago.
Adding complexity to this debate is the impending contract extension for quarterback Brock Purdy, positioning him to become the highest-paid player on the team. He will likely even become one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Where he ranks in average salary will depend upon whether he can replicate the stellar performance of his Pro Bowl 2023
With the 2024 NFL Draft less than a week away, it's common for the rumor mill to start churning, especially with players who are actively seeking a new contract. It was just two short years ago that WR Deebo Samuel requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers prior to draft day, only for cooler heads to prevail and eventually agree to a new deal.
Now, it's WR Brandon Aiyuk's turn to try and get paid and rumors surfaced over the weekend that he too would request to be dealt. While that report was quickly shot down by his agent, there's still a lot of discussion about Aiyuk's future and if other teams will come calling on draft night.
Legendary columnist Mike Silver joined
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
