The 49ers signed two more wide receivers with NFL experience on Thursday – Kevin White and River Cracraft – to deliver fresh legs to a tired position group.
The 49ers’ problems with wide receiver began shortly after the end of the club’s virtual offseason program. And their problems have not stopped.
Deebo Samuel and Richie James sustained June injuries that landed them on the list of non-football lawsuits at the opening of training camp.
The 49ers hope Samuel will be back from a broken foot before the start of the regular season. The club expects James to spend at least the first six games of the regular season on the non-football injury list with a broken wrist.
Then the 49ers lost Jalen Hurd from a torn ACL before even stepping on the practice field.
“Three of the boys we were planning to play with, we lost before we even started playing,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Currently, rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk is set aside for a few weeks with a hamstring strain.
In the first week of the camp, the 49ers signed veteran receivers Tavon Austin, JJ Nelson and Jaron Brown. On Thursday, Brown was released to help make room for White and Cracraft, who both signed one-year contracts.
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The new additions are considered long chains, at best, for the 49ers’ 53-man list. But Shanahan said he hopes White and Cracraft show they can provide the team with NFL caliber insurance policies.
“You have to bring in other guys to spell those legs,” Shanahan said. “Every time you bring in guys to help, we hope to bring in some NFL players.
“You not only bring in legs, but you bring in guys you want to work with and spend time with who have a chance to help our team if they are better than boys we have or if they get a chance. due to injuries. “
Assuming Samuel is released before the start of the regular season, he, Aiyuk, Kendrick Bourne and Trent Taylor are locked in to make the team. Dante Pettis also appears to be in good shape to win a roster spot.
That could leave one spot available among all the other receivers in camp: Austin, Nelson, Jauan Jennings, Shawn Poindexter and, now, White and Cracraft.
[RELATED: Tavon Austin believes he could be perfect fit within 49ers’ offense]White, the Chicago Bears’ No. 7 overall pick in 2015, appeared in just 14 games due to injuries in his four seasons. He has just 25 catches for 285 yards and no touchdowns.
Cracraft appeared in nine games with the Denver Broncos in 2018 and ’19. He caught one pass for 44 yards and a touchdown, while also averaging 3.3 yards on 12 rebounds and 14.3 yards on three kickoff returns.
