(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The 49ers may well enter the 2020 regular season without three receivers they initially expected to be on the opening day roster.
John Lynch said on KNBR last week that he wouldn’t be surprised if 2019 breakout Deebo Samuel misses the start of the season as he recovers from a Jones fracture in his foot. Richie James is still recovering from wrist surgery administered this offseason. Travis Benjamin recently opted out.
That leaves the 49ers with some depth concerns heading into the beginning of the season, especially considering that two of their healthy receivers, Trent Taylor and Jalen Hurd, are coming off 2019 seasons missed entirely due to injury.
That leads to Wednesday morning’s reports from Ian Rapoport that the 49ers are bringing in former Rams and Cowboys wide receiver Tavon Austin for a workout with the hopes to sign him.
Austin — the No.8 overall pick of the 2013 draft by the Rams– has been a bit player in the NFL since 2016, his last season as a regular contributor for Los Angeles when he caught 58 passes for 509 yards. An All-State sprinter in high school, Austin is small (5′ 8″) and fast, a threat in both the slot and as a rusher on end arounds. Austin caught just 11 passes for 171 yards for the Cowboys last season.