The 30-year-old Austin becomes the most-experienced receiver on the roster and can contribute on special teams, as well. He has handled 185 punt returns, returning them for 1,466 yards and three scores over his career.
The Rams drafted Austin out of West Virginia with the No. 8 overall pick in 2013. He registered 13 receptions for 177 yards with a touchdown through 14 games with the Dallas Cowboys in 2019 and has just 317 receiving yards over the past two seasons.
Austin has caught 215 passes for 2,006 yards with 15 touchdowns through his seven NFL seasons. He and Nelson join a wide receiver group that includes Deebo Samuel, Kendrick Bourne, Trent Taylor, Dante Pettis, rookie Brandon Aiyuk, among others.
The Arizona Cardinals made Nelson a fifth-round selection out of UAB in 2015. He spent last season with the Oakland Raiders, where he caught four passes for 36 yards and a score.
Nelson had over 1,000 combined receiving yards and eight combined touchdowns with Arizona during the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
San Francisco worked out both receivers on Friday morning, along with former Miami Dolphins and New York Jets quarterback Luke Falk, as reported on Thursday. The team had planned to also take a look at wide receiver Donte Moncrief but canceled the workout, according to NBC Sports Bay Area.
Related News
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers among the Super Bowl LXI favorites, per ESPN's Football Power Index
The San Francisco 49ers are coming off a good season amidst a bounty of injuries, and ESPN's latest Football Power Index suggests they remain firmly in the Super Bowl conversation. This is despite some key players such as Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, George Kittle, and Mykel... -
49ers mailbag: How much will Kaelon Black play as a rookie? Will SF sign any more free agents? Will the defense be any better in 2026?
The San Francisco 49ers have started OTAs (organized team activities), and there's finally actual football to discuss. It may not be like training camp, but it's close enough. And training camp isn't too far away. We opened the 49ers Webzone Mailbag to see what was on your... -
49ers announce key front office promotions and hires
The San Francisco 49ers officially announced that Nathan Biehl, Grant Bordelon, Ryan Carter, Brad Clark, Casey Filkins, Jordan Fox, Michael Gonzalez, Austin Moss II, and Jeff Weidemeyer have been promoted to new roles within the organization. The team has also officially... -
49ers preseason schedule: Dates, times, and TV info for all three games
The NFL announced the dates and kickoff times for every preseason game on Wednesday, completing the San Francisco 49ers' 2026 exhibition schedule. The only remaining unknown was the kickoff time for the 49ers' preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans at Levi's Stadium on...