Wide receiver Trent Taylor and right guard Joshua Garnett got back on the football field after missing the San Francisco 49ers' exhibition opener last week. Taylor has been working his way back from offseason back surgery while Garnett has been dealing with a knee issue.

Taylor, who is entering his second NFL season, had two catches for seven yards on Saturday night against the Houston Texans. One of those receptions was a touchdown pass from Jimmy Garoppolo at the end of the 49ers' opening drive.


"I got open a little bit too quick because I was one of the last reads on the play," Taylor said after the game. "I was just kind of running in the end zone like, 'Please throw me the ball. Please throw me the ball.' Luckily he found me, so it worked out."

"They played man. They had good coverage down there," Garoppolo explained. "Trent, he was later in my progression and everything, so he had a little longer to get open. He kept running across the back of the end zone. I'm assuming he ran a great route right off the bat. I didn't really see it, but he does a great job down there of getting open."

Taylor registered 43 receptions for 430 yards with two touchdowns during his rookie campaign. He missed a significant portion of the team's offseason after he realized during organized team activities in May that his back didn't feel right. The receiver quickly decided to have a procedure to shave down bone spurs in his lower back.

The 49ers have eased him back during practices, and he finally got to see his first preseason action on Saturday.

"Just day by day, I can feel my legs starting to get stronger and getting my legs back under me," Taylor said. "So it's always good to be able to feel improvement as you work. I've still got a little ways to go, but it definitely felt great being out there tonight and having my first catch as a TD. Nothing really to complain about there."


Garnett has not played in a game since January 1, 2017. After starting the final 11 games of his rookie year, he missed all of last season with an injury to the same knee that forced him to miss much of training camp.

"It's been a long road to getting back out there since the Seahawks game in the last game of the year (during) my rookie year," Garnett said. "It's definitely a great feeling to get back out there with the boys and mix it up. I've got a lot of things to improve on, but it felt good just being out there and being able to get the reps and kind of prove myself."

Garnett entered on the second offensive series while the starters were still playing and remained in the game for the remainder of the first half.

"I played half the game, so I feel like the knee feels great," Garnett continued. "It feels fine. I didn't have any hiccups, so I feel like that was a big stepping stone, milestone for me."

The 49ers next preseason game will be a road matchup against the Indianapolis Colts on August 25.

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