SANTA CLARA – The 49ers of young wide receivers are a work in progress, and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is being encouraged by the work he sees this summer.
Through four practices of training camp, Garoppolo has managed to pick up where he left off with Kendrick Bourne, who last year was the 49ers’ No. 3 receiver behind Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders.
But he works with a mostly new set of goals. Samuel is out indefinitely with a foot injury, and Sanders signed as a free agent with the New Orleans Saints.
And with Jalen Hurd, who had almost guaranteed a spot on the 53-man roster, out for the season with a knee injury, Garoppolo has looked for other goals.
Dante Pettis was on the team last season, but he made little impact other than a game-winning touchdown catch from Garoppolo in a Week 3 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Garoppolo and Pettis met on Thursday, during Pettis’ most productive day on the practice field in a long time. The receiver had five receptions on routes across the middle.
“He’s coming along,” Garoppolo of Pettis said. ‘It’s very encouraging, just the physicality with which he plays, the competitiveness he brings. You love to see it and it’s just one of those things you have to roll it over.
“I think our whole group so far has received a really good job from a receiving core.”
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Garoppolo and the 49ers ’offense would likely include a few rookie-wide receivers in the mix this season, based on what they’ve shown through four practices on the field.
Besides Bourne, rookie Brandon Aiyuk has been the most consistent performer among the wide receivers in camp.
The 49ers traded to select Aiyuk with the no. 25 general choice, and so far he seems like the real deal.
“There are flashes you can see,” Garoppolo said. ‘He has a good feeling about feeling the zones and when it’s man-to-man, he knows when to break routes and just do what he has to do to open up.
‘It’s a really natural instinct, just running routes for him. It’s really cool to throw routes to such a man. He sees the field very similar to a quarterback and it makes my job very easy. ”
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The 49ers lost a big goal with Hurd’s injury, but seventh-round draft pick Jauan Jennings (6-foot-3, 212 pounds) has already shown Garoppolo that he can make tough catches.
Jauan Jennings took a pass from Nick Mullens on Tuesday between defenders Jamar Taylor and hard-hitting Marcell Harris, winning 25 yards. The rookie was known for playing with aggression and passion during his time in Tennessee.
‘Jauan, he has a great mentality. I will tell you something, he is always ready to roll, included, confident, ”said Garoppolo. ‘You love that from a recipient, especially from a young recipient. He brings it every day and you can see once he gets the ball in his hands, he is ready to roll and he wants to be physical with people.
‘He does some special things about it. Once, he also shoved it on the field, just in team bubbles. Every time you get a young boy like that, it’s always encouraging. That should have just rolled it out at this point. ”
