One position group on the San Francisco 49ers that is loaded with question marks is wide receiver.
Brandon Aiyuk is a toss-up to be ready by Week 1, and if he'll ever be the same again after tearing his ACL and MCL. Demarcus Robinson, whom they signed in free agency, will likely miss some games due to suspension.
So, the 49ers will open up with Jauan Jennings as the lead receiver, and with Ricky Pearsall expected to take the next step. The rest of the depth chart is one giant variable.
Brock Purdy doesn't have a whole lot to work with from the wide receiver position, but he doesn't view it that way. Purdy told Bay Area radio station 95.7 The Game that he is excited about the 49ers' wide receivers in 2025.
"Having Ricky Pearsall, J.J. (Jauan Jennings) as our guys to start off the season, obviously we're hoping to get B.A. (Brandon Aiyuk) as soon as possible and Demarcus Robinson as well," said Purdy. "But those young guys too, man, I'm really excited about.
"They've come in with the right mindset to get better, and they're moving. We've got guys that can move, which is awesome to see, good hands, they're learning fast, and so, for me, I'm excited when we go 11-on-11 in camp and get a feel for who's who and what they can do. Jacob Cowing, his speed, his maturity, he's had a big offseason too."
Sounds Purdy is looking forward to the challenge of playing with young receivers and factoring into their growth. There will be quite a learning curve and adjustment.
But a quarterback should be welcoming to that, and Purdy is doing exactly that. He can be an uplifting player to them, which would help deflate the hilarious notion that he is a "system" quarterback.
It's also interesting that he cited Jacob Cowing specifically. That can indicate that Purdy is noticing a stark change in him, so perhaps they can build a rapport that can help Cowing earn playing time.
In any case, a lot of the fuss made about the 49ers' wide receiver position is exaggerated. Sure, there are questions, but Kyle Shanahan can easily manufacture the position. It's also time for the coaches to earn their pay and develop a player or two.
"I think our skill group as a whole will be just fine. We're gonna have some guys that are definitely gonna take the next step for us, and I'm just really excited to keep building them up. The whole world will see this fall, so I'm excited."
