San Jose native may be on 49ers' chopping block after rough preseason showing

The San Francisco 49ers have countless issues to deal with at wide receiver. As they scramble to try and figure things out, San Jose native Isaiah Hodgins could be on the chopping block after a rough showing in the team's first preseason game.

In the game, Hodgins had just one reception for 5 yards. Admittedly, none of the team's receivers really had much of a chance with Carter Bradley and Tanner Mordecai throwing to them, but Hodgins had not drawn many rave reviews in practice leading up to the game and has been on the roster bubble pretty much since he showed up.

As things currently stand, he is on the outside looking in at a roster spot with a number of receivers ahead of him on the depth chart. With the recent injury to Jordan Watkins, the door has opened slightly more, but it would still take some special performances in practice and the preseason to avoid being cut.

The 26-year-old Hodgins has some NFL experience under his belt with the New York Giants and Buffalo Bills. He was drafted by Buffalo in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oregon State and has gone on to have 634 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in four NFL seasons.

The Niners signed him back in January to a reserve/future contract. The expectation at the time was not that he would have any semblance of a chance at making the team, but that shows how dire things have gotten for San Francisco at wide receiver.

Isaiah Hodgins is already on the 49ers' chopping block

Still, the odds of Hodgins making the team are long. He would have to do a lot to leapfrog some of the names ahead of him on the depth chart, but it is not out of the question that he could turn things around and make the team.

It would be a nice story if the San Jose native was able to suit up for the Niners. Hodgins went to high school in Walnut Creek, and it is always nice when a local kid gets the chance to play for his hometown team.

For that to become a reality, Hodgins is going to have to get going and needs to take advantage of the limited reps he will be getting in practice and preseason games.