Shanahan was asked how his young wideouts did on Saturday night against the Kansas City Chiefs.
"Some, I think, did better, some did worse," Shanahan said. "Overall, I thought we did alright. I'm always pretty hard on the receivers, though. I still think we need to keep doing better than we have been, though."
The 49ers' second-year receiver, Dante Pettis, has had an uneven offseason. Once considered to be a potential breakout player for San Francisco this season, Pettis' work on Saturday night continued into the fourth quarter. Shanahan was asked why he left the receiver in that long.
"Just because I believe he needed to be," he answered. "He's still trying to earn a role on this team, and he's still trying to show us what he's capable of doing, consistently."
Despite playing in all three games, Pettis hauled in his first catches of the preseason on Saturday, ending the night with three catches for 36 yards and a fumble.
Shanahan also discussed third-year wideout Kendrick Bourne, who had two catches for 25 yards against the Chiefs, increasing his preseason total to five catches for 66 yards with a touchdown.
"Bourne's a good receiver," Shanahan said. "He's a big body, who plays big. He's fearless out there. He's not scared to get hit. He blocks as well as any of the receivers we have on our team, but him, like a few other guys, he just needs to be more consistent.
"I know he had the penalty, which wasn't a good one because we had a pretty good look with the play we were going (with), but he just has to be more consistent for us. He's done some things that have helped us a ton, but we need him to keep taking a step forward and making sure he only makes those good plays for us."
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers' Shanahan still hopes Aiyuk returns this season—but isn't counting on it
San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch didn't sound particularly optimistic Tuesday morning when discussing wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk's chances of returning this season. Appearing on Bay Area radio station KNBR, Lynch emphasized that while he remains hopeful, he can't... -
49ers' Kyle Shanahan delivers hilarious response to question about bad-weather game plan vs. Browns
If you're wondering what kind of conditions the San Francisco 49ers will face on Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, a clip from the Browns' Friday practice might offer some clues: If you're wondering what Sunday's #Browns game might look like, see today's... -
Kyle Shanahan shares final updates ahead of 49ers-Browns Week 13 matchup
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke to reporters following Friday's practice, providing final updates ahead of the team's Week 13 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. Here's everything he said. Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications... -
49ers' Kyle Shanahan explains Eric Kendricks signing after LB backed out last year
The San Francisco 49ers' move to add veteran linebacker Eric Kendricks to the practice squad raised some eyebrows, especially given that Kendricks previously backed out of an agreement with the team last year before signing with the Dallas Cowboys. Still, the 49ers are gaining...