49ers mailbag: Is Brandon Aiyuk the next Deebo Samuel? How have other receivers looked?
We’ve been on hand for four 49ers practices during training camp. On Tuesday we offered up 10 camp observations.
Here, we’ll answer more questions that came via Twitter.
Let’s get to it.
Sam asks: How does Brandon Aiyuk look compared to Deebo (Samuel) when he came in last year? Any other rookie you have covered that BA reminds you of?
Samuel looked a touch out of shape last year when he first came in during training camp. But he’s also a thicker guy for a receiver. Aiyuk, to me, looks and plays a little bit more like Emmanuel Sanders. He’s explosive and has good movement skills, but he’s not somebody that’s going to try to run through defensive backs like Samuel, who plays like he craves contact.
I can’t think of a rookie that’s looked like Aiyuk with the 49ers since I started covering the team in 2013, a year after they whiffed on A.J. Jenkins. He appears to have gotten off to as fast a start as I can remember for a first-year wideout.
Also telling: he seems to have the trust of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, which isn’t something that we could say about every receiver over the last few years.
Uncle Salty asks: How does Kwon (Alexander) look this year? Is he back or is (Dre) Greenlaw going to take his spot at (Will linebacker)?
Alexander looks healthy and spry, which is good news given his rash of injuries in recent seasons, including the surgically repaired biceps injury he had after the Super Bowl.
Shanahan said earlier this week that the job is Alexander’s, which isn’t necessarily a surprise. Follow the money. Cutting Alexander would leave the 49ers with over $4 million in dead salary and just $475,000 in cap savings.
So it would be a costly decision to promote Greenlaw over Alexander. But the fact the question is even worth asking speaks to the quality of San Francisco’s linebacking corps.
Jeff asks: Any thoughts on how (Dante) Pettis has looked/factored in?
There’s no doubt Pettis is aware of the chatter. He knows he has to be better than last season to stick around beyond final cuts, and so far he’s shown far more urgency on the practice field than this time last season.
Pettis had a big day of practice Tuesday, making a slew of catches from all three quarterbacks during full-team drills. He’s also one of the most experienced receivers of the current group — and perhaps the most versatile given his knowledge of all three positions.
Pettis has an opportunity at significant playing time given Aiyuk’s inexperience and Samuel’s injury. It’s far too early to say that Pettis will be a key piece of the offense. But, for now, he has to be considered a favorite for a roster spot given the way he’s played and injuries at his position, especially after Jalen Hurd was lost for the season Monday with a torn ACL.
ATLNiner asks: Where is Solomon Thomas being seen taking snaps? Any word from coaches on him transitioning if more often inside than last season?
Thomas has been working in place of Arik Armstead as a defensive end in base downs and kicked inside in sub packages with the first and second teams. Thomas looks like he’s made good on the request of the front office and coaching staff to gain more weight so he can better handle power from offensive guards.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether a pass rusher gets home given quarterbacks aren’t allowed to be hit during practice, but Thomas had a clear sack of Garoppolo on Tuesday in which he beat Daniel Brunskill and Tom Compton.
Myles asks: How has Tavon Austin looked in camp?
Austin has been used on some gadget plays and worked extensively as a return man, but I’m not sure fans should expect much from him if he were to make the team. He hasn’t done much in the passing game.
And during one-on-one drills, Garoppolo tried finding him on a deep route with Richard Sherman in coverage. You won’t be surprised to learn Sherman was all over it, essentially ran the route for Austin and had a far better chance at catching it. But it was a touch overthrown and fell incomplete.
Bob asks: If another team’s QB1 goes down is Nick Mullens in play or no way?
I doubt it. In a normal year, there might be something to this. Teams don’t often carry more than two quarterbacks on their 53-man roster. But I’d expect the 49ers to keep Mullens and C.J. Beathard in case the worst happened and someone in the quarterback room came down with the coronavirus.
After all, the 49ers are Super Bowl contenders and don’t want a lack of quarterback depth to get in their way at any point.
This story was originally published August 19, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
