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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tavon Austin (10) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Justin Coleman (28) at a first quarter point back in an NFL Wild Card playoff game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, January 5, 2019.
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tavon Austin (10) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Justin Coleman (28) on a first quarter point back in an NFL Wild Card playoff game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington,
… more
Photo: Max Faulkner / TNS
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tavon Austin (10) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Justin Coleman (28) at a first quarter point back in an NFL Wild Card playoff game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, January 5, 2019.
less
Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Tavon Austin (10) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks cornerback Justin Coleman (28) on a first quarter point back in an NFL Wild Card playoff game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington,
… more
Photo: Max Faulkner / TNS
The San Francisco 49ers plan to sign former Arizona Cardinals and Oakland Raiders receiver JJ Nelson as former Los Angeles Rams and Dallas Cowboys receiver / kick returner Tavon Austin, pending physics.
Adam Schefter of ESPN reported that second-year receiver Deebo Samuel “will probably miss the start of the season” after suffering a broken left foot during informal workouts with teammates in June. General manager John Lynch had previously said, “It’s fair to say he could miss some games early in the year.”
Austin and Nelson have something in common: they are both extremely fast. The 30-year-old Austin, a former pick of the Rams from the first round, ran a 4.34 40-yard line at the 2013 NFL Scouting Combine, and at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine, the 28-year-old Nelson nearly broke the 40-yard dash record then held by the Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson. (Nelson ran a 4.28; Johnson ran a 4.24, since darkened by John Ross’ 4.22 at the 2017 NFL Scouting Combine.)
Austin has 2,000 career receiving yards and Nelson has 1,475, with the former coming off a more productive 2019 season. Last year, Austin recorded 171 receiving yards and one touchdown in 12 games with the Cowboys, using him primarily as a returner. Nelson had four receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown in two games with the Raiders before being released in October.
Nelson also has experience returning kicks and points during his time with the Cardinals. The 49ers’ primary kick kicker of 2019, Richie James, is currently on the list of active / non-football injuries with a broken wrist sustained in June.
Eric Ting is an SFGATE reporter. Email: [email protected] | Twitter:@_ericting
