San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch joined KNBR this morning, as he does every other week, and provided several updates to the team's receivers group. The 49ers were undermanned last week against the Green Bay Packers, which contributed to the 34-17 defeat.
Quick summary:- Deebo Samuel will try to practice on Friday. His status remains uncertain.
- Kendrick Bourne will travel with the 49ers this weekend.
- Trent Taylor and River Cracraft are on track to play.
Lynch started with Samuel, who remains a long shot to play this weekend against the New Orleans Saints.
"I think the final challenge or opportunity for Deebo to show that he can go is out here on Friday," Lynch said on the Murph & Mac show. "Having said that, it hasn't been overwhelmingly encouraging. He's getting closer but has still felt it a little. So, typically, a player of that magnitude, if he's still feeling that on a Thursday going into a Friday, we'll give him a chance here to prove us otherwise. But right now, probably not too encouraged on Deebo."
The good news for Bourne is that he will likely be eligible to play on Sunday. The receiver has been on the reserve/COVID-19 list this week, his second time on it since last week, and could be cleared today.
"The good news is he'll be traveling with us to New Orleans," Lynch said. "The challenge there, he's been out of the building since last Tuesday and been at home. ... He's been in quarantine. So, that's a challenge."
Lynch added that Bourne is a player who may not necessarily require practice to play, and he has been joining team meetings via Zoom.
Said Lynch: "We're pretty lean [at receiver], so we're going to rely on Kendrick, hopefully, if everything works out until Sunday, that he'll be at least part of that rotation."
Lynch concluded the receiver talk by stating that Taylor appears on track to play after missing practice on Wednesday with a back injury. He practiced on Thursday and felt a lot better doing so.
Cracraft, who suffered a quad contusion on Wednesday when another player accidentally kneed him, feels better and should be available against the Saints.
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.