Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
WR Travis Benjamin becomes first 49ers player to opt-out of 2020 season
Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
Wide receiver Travis Benjamin has become the first San Francisco 49ers player to opt-out of the 2020 season. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN first reported news of the decision.
"First, I would like to thank the 49ers organization for their continued support," Benjamin said in a statement posted to social media. "After much consideration and discussion with my family I have decided to opt out of the 2020 NFL season as I feel this is the best decision for my family. I will continue to support my teammates and many friends around the league this season. As we continue to navigate this pandemic I wish that everyone stays safe."
The Cleveland Browns made Benjamin a fourth-round selection out of Miami (FL) in 2012. He registered six receptions for 30 yards through five games and two starts with the Chargers in 2019. The receiver saw his season end due to a quad injury and landed on injured reserve on October 17, 2019.
The 49ers signed Benjamin in March to a one-year deal. He spent one season (2014) working with 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, who was the offensive coordinator in Cleveland at the time.
While Benjamin may have just notified the 49ers of his decision, he stated that the decision came after much discussion with his family. General manager John Lynch said on Monday that no players had expressed a desire to exercise the option to opt-out.
"I have not had a conversation (about opting out) with any of our players," general manager John Lynch told reporters on Monday
via a video press conference. "We've talked a lot. We always feel like communication with our players is the best opportunity for success in every situation. But none of our players have intimated that that is an option that they're going to be exercising, I guess."
Shanahan made it clear that both players and staff were free to do what they felt was best for their health and the health of their families.
"You want everyone to know that there's no right or wrong answers," Shanahan said. "It's what you're comfortable with."
Benjamin has caught 208 passes for 3,143 yards with 19 touchdowns through his eight NFL seasons. His best statistical season came in 2015 with the Browns when he hauled in 68 passes for 966 yards and five touchdowns.
Related News
Facebook Comments
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers sign WR Trent Taylor, reuniting with former draft pick
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
Draft Watch: Western Kentucky WR Malachi Corley visiting 49ers on Wednesday
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
Rapoport: 49ers send clear message to teams inquiring about Brandon Aiyuk
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
7-round mock draft from The Athletic sees 49ers fortifying defense early
Analyst Dane Brugler recently revealed his seven-round mock draft for The Athletic, forecasting all 257 selections in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft, set to kick off next week.
"Piecing together a mock like this is time consuming, but I enjoy the exercise, because it allows me to focus on each team's needs, organizational trends and prospect-team pairings that make sense based on '30' visits, league buzz and overall interest," Brugler wrote.
Most expect the 49ers to address the trenches early in the draft, and Brugler has the team doing that. It's just not on the offensive side of the football. In fact, Brugler doesn't have San Francisco
