Source: 49ers to sign former Chargers WR Travis Benjamin
The 49ers are adding depth and competition at receiver after losing Emmanuel Sanders to the New Orleans Saints in free agency last week.
San Francisco has agreed to terms with former Chargers speedster Travis Benjamin, a league source confirmed to The Bee on Tuesday. NFL Network was first to report the news.
Benjamin, 30, appeared in five games for Los Angeles last season before going season-ending injured reserve with a quadriceps injury. The former fourth-round draft choice in 2012 spent his first four seasons with the Cleveland Browns, which included a stint under Kyle Shanahan when he was offensive coordinator 2014. Current assistant receivers coach Myles Austin was also on that team.
Benjamin (5-10, 175) started 37 of 101 games throughout his career. His most productive season came with the Browns in 2015 when he recorded 68 catches (on 125 targets, a 54.4 percent catch rate) for 966 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 25 catches and 362 yards the past four years with the Chargers. He scored nine touchdowns, including the last seven that were all 25 yards or longer, and averaged over 14.2 yards per catch in his first seven seasons.
Benjamin ran a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash at the 2012 scouting combine after playing at the University of Miami. He has experience returning punts and kickoffs, though he’s taken one kickoff since 2014. Benjamin has dropped 28 passes in his career, according to Pro Football Focus.
Benjamin is far from assured a roster spot. The 49ers are still mulling what to do with another swift receiver, Marquise Goodwin, who is scheduled to cost $4.9 million on the salary cap after having 12 catches for 186 yards in nine games last season before a knee injured landed him on injured reserve.
With Sanders gone, second-year pro Deebo Samuel is currently the team’s top player at the position. Third-year player Dante Pettis took a significant step back in 2019 and was a non-factor during the second half of the season and the playoffs while Kendrick Bourne emerged as the No. 3 option. Slot wideouts Trent Taylor (foot) and rookie Jalen Hurd (back) missed all of 2019 and could provide a boost if healthy. Richie James Jr. served as the No. 5 option and primary punt returner.
San Francisco is likely to address the position in next month’s NFL Draft, perhaps with one of their two first-round picks. The team added selection No. 13 in last week’s trade with the Indianapolis Colts for star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. It also has its original choice at No. 31 but isn’t scheduled to pick again until Round 5.
This story was originally published March 24, 2020 at 12:48 PM.