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Big things were expected from Dante Pettis in 2019, as the San Francisco 49ers receiver entered his second NFL season, and after he showed flashes during his rookie campaign. What resulted was a disappointing 11-reception season as Pettis contributed just 109 yards of offense.
Pettis, a second-round pick in 2018, hauled in two touchdown passes, but none came after Week 9. In fact, the 24-year-old receiver didn't have a catch after Week 9 and was inactive against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIV.
The 49ers remain hopeful that Pettis can find a way to flourish within head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense.
"I know a lot of people have soured on him, but we haven't," general manager
John Lynch said last month. "He didn't come to camp ready to play last year, physically, and we challenged him. That's got to change. We believe, if he does, that he's a guy who can really excel in our offense."
Forget proving himself during the regular season. Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area, who joined KNBR this week, isn't even sure Pettis makes it to the 53-man roster (
h/t to KNBR).
"His prove it time is when and if there is a training camp," Maiocco said of Pettis on the
Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks show, "because if he doesn't show up in great shape and stronger, then I just don't see him being on the team. I think his prove-it time is, on a normal year, August. Otherwise, he's going to be looking for work."
Pettis finds himself in an even more crowded receiver room this year. While San Francisco lost veteran Emmanuel Sanders in free agency and traded away Marquise Goodwin, the team used a first-round draft pick to acquire
Brandon Aiyuk, and a seventh-rounder to add
Jauan Jennings. The 49ers signed Travis Benjamin in free agency. They hope to get
Trent Taylor and Jalen Hurd, neither of which were active for a single game last year and landed on injured reserve, back.
All of them will compete with
Deebo Samuel, Kendrick Bourne, and possibly Richie James Jr. for playing time.
The other player who needs to prove himself in 2020, according to Maiocco, is running back Jerick McKinnon, who, after suffering an ACL injury in 2018, has yet to take a regular-season snap with the 49ers.
"Prove it year would have to be for Jerick McKinnon—a guy who fits exactly what Kyle wants, but he hasn't played in two years," said Maiocco, "so this has got to be his year."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Maiocco below. The portion about Pettis and McKinnon begins at about the 14-minute mark.
As draft week unfolds, analysts are unveiling their final mock drafts heading into the annual event. The 2024 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, and ESPN's Jordan Reid released a behemoth of a mock draft, projecting all 257 selections across all seven rounds.
The ESPN analyst has the Washington Commanders leaping in front of the San Francisco 49ers in the first round to select one of the top offensive tackle prospects, leaving John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan's squad to take a different approach.
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The San Francisco 49ers mainly focused on fortifying their defense in free agency, leaving many to believe that the 2024 NFL Draft will be their chance to upgrade the offensive line.
Most mock drafts predict the 49ers will select the best offensive tackle available to bolster the line's weak link—the right side—and potentially provide a succession plan for 35-year-old left tackle Trent Williams.
Pro Football Focus recently examined each team's biggest need heading into the draft's first round and unsurprisingly listed offensive line for the 49ers.
"The 49ers likely won't have the luxury of selecting the top offensive lineman with the 31st pick, but they can still find a quality player to improve a unit that was inconsistent in pass
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
