The San Francisco 49ers will be without Deebo Samuel (foot) for most—if not all—of training camp. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is cautiously optimistic the second-year star receiver will be available for the team's Week 1 contest against the Arizona Cardinals.
Samuel's absence means more opportunities for the rest of the receivers. That includes rookie wideout Brandon Aiyuk, one of the 49ers' first-round draft picks from April.
Shanahan doesn't want to get too ahead of himself. After all, Saturday was San Francisco's first practice of training camp. Still, the coach can't help but be impressed with his rookie's offseason work and dedication.
"Today was the first full-speed practice, and I thought he did a pretty good job today," Shanahan told reporters via a video conference call on Saturday. "We'll see when we go watch the film, but I've been real impressed with him just being around him.
"He was very impressive on the Zoom meetings—just his attention to detail. But, since we've gotten here, just going through these walk-throughs and stuff, you can tell he knows how to practice like a pro. You can tell he comes prepared every day.
"He's not a guy you've had to teach how to act or teach how important it is to learn this stuff. You can tell he understood that before he got here. And since we've been around him, you can tell he's been working, and that's why he's further ahead, I think, than a lot of rookies would be at this time."
It's not only Aiyuk's offseason work that has set him up for success. There is a benefit to joining a championship-caliber team—one that is coming off a Super Bowl appearance—during an offseason limited by a pandemic.
"It really helps how the rest of our team is," Shanahan explained. "We didn't get as many team meetings when we started, and we'd go out to walk-through and everything, and not have to address a lot of people on how hard we go.
"And the rookies kind of just fall in line because they watch everyone else doing it. So if you come in slacking around, you look pretty out of place. Usually, a lot of the players are going to get to you before even a coach has to."
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Then there are the two receivers who didn't play a regular-season snap last season—Jalen Hurd (back) and Trent Taylor (foot). Both were expected to be contributors last year.
Taylor is a fourth-year player who, before his injury, looked to be rebuilding his chemistry with quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
"They both went through a lot of stuff last year and missed the whole year," Shanahan said. "Trent's been battling with [injuries] for a couple of years, so I was just really happy for him that he's overcome a lot, all the infections that he did get and the rehabbing to do that surgery.
"I know how tough last year was for him, and before that happened, how high of a level he was playing at, so, just to get him back out there is a huge deal."
Hurd missed his entire rookie campaign, and his return means some added size to the receiver group. He was able to get in a lot of work at the team's facility while others were locked out.
"He came back, and he put a lot of time in here," Shanahan said. "The only guys that were allowed to come up here and be allowed in the building during the quarantine and everything were guys who had injuries and stuff. So, him being around our training staff, being around Dustin Perry, our strength coach, he's put in a lot of work to get to where he is right now, to come back from that back injury."
Hurd, now wearing No. 14, was limited on Saturday as the 49ers are understandably cautious with his return to the practice field. He was seen on the side running routes during team drills.
"I thought he had a great first ten days," Shanahan added while discusses Hurd and tight end Jordan Reed, who also missed last season after a concussion, "and we are trying to be smart with them and ease them in. Just did individual today and stuff, but hopefully, that will pick up as we go."
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San Francisco added some depth with the signings of veteran receivers Tavon Austin and J.J. Nelson. Both practiced with their new teammates on Saturday after passing three COVID-19 tests and then signing their one-year deals.
Shanahan was asked what he hopes to see out of his newest additions.
"First, it was awesome to bring in two guys, like J.J. and Tavon—two guys who are NFL players who have done things in this league, and two guys we've always liked," Shanahan said. "I liked both of them coming out of college, and we've liked them in all their stops."
The 49ers are down three receivers in training camp with Samuel expected to miss some time, and Richie James Jr. (hand) also sidelined. Travis Benjamin opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.
The additions of Austin and Nelson get the 49ers' training camp receiver numbers back to where Shanahan is more comfortable.
"You always try to have 11," Shanahan explained. "That's always the goal. I think last year we had ten in camp, so we needed to get some more guys in just for legs. But the fact that we got two guys in who have the ability to make our roster, who could have roles on this team with both of their skill assets, made me very excited to get them.
"We didn't know if we were going to get one or two, but the way they looked in workouts [on Friday], they were both in shape, looked like they had in previous places they've been in their career.
"That's what excites me the most is we needed the numbers to help guys, but we also added two guys who are capable of beating people out on this roster and capable of earning a spot."
The NFL is allowing up to 16 players per practice squad this season. Six of them can be veterans. So even with the increased numbers at the position, the opportunity for a player to contribute exists even if he fails to make the 53-man roster.
