2020 Offseason

[Dodub]

WR Taylor Gabriel was recently cut by the Bears. He played for Shanahan (while an Offensive Coordinator) in 2014 (Browns) and 2016 (Falcons); in those 2 seasons combined, Gabriel caught a total of 71 passes for 1200 yards. Gabriel reportedly ran a 4.27 40 in college, which would match Marquise Goodwin's time at the 2013 combine. He was scheduled to make $5.5M next season when the Bears cut him, so he should be able to be signed on the cheap. If Lynch and Shanahan decide not to re-sign Sanders, Gabriel could be the affordable speed guy that the team currently lacks who is already familiar with the Shanahan playbook.

If Gabriel can return kicks and is super cheap then I’d be on board. We need to upgrade James in the worst way, we also need a burner who could stretch the field. I like the kid from TCU, he was a first rounder coming into this year but now is looking more like a 3rd rounder. He’s a 4.2 guy who works as an effective WR and a great KR/PR guy

[Samurai]

WR Taylor Gabriel was recently cut by the Bears. He played for Shanahan (while an Offensive Coordinator) in 2014 (Browns) and 2016 (Falcons); in those 2 seasons combined, Gabriel caught a total of 71 passes for 1200 yards. Gabriel reportedly ran a 4.27 40 in college, which would match Marquise Goodwin's time at the 2013 combine. He was scheduled to make $5.5M next season when the Bears cut him, so he should be able to be signed on the cheap. If Lynch and Shanahan decide not to re-sign Sanders, Gabriel could be the affordable speed guy that the team currently lacks who is already familiar with the Shanahan playbook.

If Gabriel can return kicks and is super cheap then I’d be on board. We need to upgrade James in the worst way, we also need a burner who could stretch the field. I like the kid from TCU, he was a first rounder coming into this year but now is looking more like a 3rd rounder. He’s a 4.2 guy who works as an effective WR and a great KR/PR guy

Gabriel was a kick returner in college. He hasn't returned kicks in the NFL since 2014 when he returned 4 kickoffs and averaged 24 yards/return. If Trent Taylor is back, he returned 30 punts in 2017 averaging 9.4 yards/return and returned 10 punts for 7.8 ypr in 2018. If Pettis returns, he is the all-time college record holder with 9 punt return touchdowns. Since Pettis certainly wasn't getting tired from all of his WR duties, not sure why the team didn't give him a shot as a returner instead of James last season.

[Pattersonca65]

WR Taylor Gabriel was recently cut by the Bears. He played for Shanahan (while an Offensive Coordinator) in 2014 (Browns) and 2016 (Falcons); in those 2 seasons combined, Gabriel caught a total of 71 passes for 1200 yards. Gabriel reportedly ran a 4.27 40 in college, which would match Marquise Goodwin's time at the 2013 combine. He was scheduled to make $5.5M next season when the Bears cut him, so he should be able to be signed on the cheap. If Lynch and Shanahan decide not to re-sign Sanders, Gabriel could be the affordable speed guy that the team currently lacks who is already familiar with the Shanahan playbook.

If Gabriel can return kicks and is super cheap then I’d be on board. We need to upgrade James in the worst way, we also need a burner who could stretch the field. I like the kid from TCU, he was a first rounder coming into this year but now is looking more like a 3rd rounder. He’s a 4.2 guy who works as an effective WR and a great KR/PR guy

Gabriel was a kick returner in college. He hasn't returned kicks in the NFL since 2014 when he returned 4 kickoffs and averaged 24 yards/return. If Trent Taylor is back, he returned 30 punts in 2017 averaging 9.4 yards/return and returned 10 punts for 7.8 ypr in 2018. If Pettis returns, he is the all-time college record holder with 9 punt return touchdowns. Since Pettis certainly wasn't getting tired from all of his WR duties, not sure why the team didn't give him a shot as a returner instead of James last season.

According to Matt Maiocco, one of the reasons Pettis was in the doghouse this season is he was dropping too many passes in practice. The players had a running joke that all you had to do was touch Pettis and he would drop the ball. The 49ers tried Pettis at returninfg punts. He had nine attempts and fumbled twice and apparently did not look good as a returner. The 49ers plan when they drafted Pettis was for him to return punts. Sort of like a Tyler Lockett but he just couldn't make it in the NFL

[Samurai]

If Gabriel can return kicks and is super cheap then I’d be on board. We need to upgrade James in the worst way, we also need a burner who could stretch the field. I like the kid from TCU, he was a first rounder coming into this year but now is looking more like a 3rd rounder. He’s a 4.2 guy who works as an effective WR and a great KR/PR guy

Gabriel was a kick returner in college. He hasn't returned kicks in the NFL since 2014 when he returned 4 kickoffs and averaged 24 yards/return. If Trent Taylor is back, he returned 30 punts in 2017 averaging 9.4 yards/return and returned 10 punts for 7.8 ypr in 2018. If Pettis returns, he is the all-time college record holder with 9 punt return touchdowns. Since Pettis certainly wasn't getting tired from all of his WR duties, not sure why the team didn't give him a shot as a returner instead of James last season.

According to Matt Maiocco, one of the reasons Pettis was in the doghouse this season is he was dropping too many passes in practice. The players had a running joke that all you had to do was touch Pettis and he would drop the ball. The 49ers tried Pettis at returninfg punts. He had nine attempts and fumbled twice and apparently did not look good as a returner. The 49ers plan when they drafted Pettis was for him to return punts. Sort of like a Tyler Lockett but he just couldn't make it in the NFL

Thanks for the info on Pettis. So if he can't catch passes or return punts, sounds like there is no point in bringing him back if we have Taylor and Hurd returning and the possibility of re-signing Sanders. Maybe a change in scenery may be best for him and if we can find another team to agree, it would be ideal if we could trade him for a draft pick.

[Dodub]

I’m very happy! We met with my draft crush Jalen Reagor at the combine!

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

I’m very happy! We met with my draft crush Jalen Reagor at the combine!

He’s not going to last till the 3rd round though, let alone the fifth round when we make our second pick of the draft. The guy has an early 2nd round grade.

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

If Gabriel can return kicks and is super cheap then I’d be on board. We need to upgrade James in the worst way, we also need a burner who could stretch the field. I like the kid from TCU, he was a first rounder coming into this year but now is looking more like a 3rd rounder. He’s a 4.2 guy who works as an effective WR and a great KR/PR guy

Gabriel was a kick returner in college. He hasn't returned kicks in the NFL since 2014 when he returned 4 kickoffs and averaged 24 yards/return. If Trent Taylor is back, he returned 30 punts in 2017 averaging 9.4 yards/return and returned 10 punts for 7.8 ypr in 2018. If Pettis returns, he is the all-time college record holder with 9 punt return touchdowns. Since Pettis certainly wasn't getting tired from all of his WR duties, not sure why the team didn't give him a shot as a returner instead of James last season.

According to Matt Maiocco, one of the reasons Pettis was in the doghouse this season is he was dropping too many passes in practice. The players had a running joke that all you had to do was touch Pettis and he would drop the ball. The 49ers tried Pettis at returninfg punts. He had nine attempts and fumbled twice and apparently did not look good as a returner. The 49ers plan when they drafted Pettis was for him to return punts. Sort of like a Tyler Lockett but he just couldn't make it in the NFL

DANTE PETTIS
WR, SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS

49ers coach Kyle Shanahan wants Dante Pettis to return on a "mission" in 2020.

"I think he took a documented step back in his second year (and) I’ve been around a lot of players who have done that," Shanahan said. "The players I’ve been around — which is a ton — they go one way or the other. They keep being like that, then they usually filter out. Or it’s a wake-up call for them and they come back and you kind of see it in April. It’s like, ‘OK, this guy treated January to April so much different than before.’ Then it usually changes their career." Shanny said Pettis' 2019 mothballing was because of an "accumulation of stuff." The message could not have been sent any stronger.
SOURCE: The Athletic

Feb 25, 2020, 6:13 PM ET

[CrimsonCrew]

I'm a bit perplexed by the reports of the WRs we're meeting with at the combine. Both Raegor and Jefferson seem to profile best from the slot (as always this time of year, my huge caveat is that I don't watch much college ball). Our most glaring need at WR - especially if we lose Sanders - is an outside receiver. After Sanders, you could argue that all of our guys are best-suited to the slot. Samuel, Bourne, Taylor, Pettis, Hurd all fit better inside than outside, and only Samuel has even above average straight-line speed. And that absence was felt fairly acutely in the super bowl, though admittedly Jimmy doesn't have the deep ball to threaten deep consistently.

[Dodub]

I'm a bit perplexed by the reports of the WRs we're meeting with at the combine. Both Raegor and Jefferson seem to profile best from the slot (as always this time of year, my huge caveat is that I don't watch much college ball). Our most glaring need at WR - especially if we lose Sanders - is an outside receiver. After Sanders, you could argue that all of our guys are best-suited to the slot. Samuel, Bourne, Taylor, Pettis, Hurd all fit better inside than outside, and only Samuel has even above average straight-line speed. And that absence was felt fairly acutely in the super bowl, though admittedly Jimmy doesn't have the deep ball to threaten deep consistently.

When healthy Jalen Hurd is a 4.3-4.4 guy, he’s a terrific athlete. Pettis is a 4.4 guy as well.

The reason that I like Reagor is that he has tremendous speed. We need a guy who can take the top off of the defense so that we have more room to work underneath stuff. He’s also a terrific return man which we desperately need.

[Samurai]

I'm a bit perplexed by the reports of the WRs we're meeting with at the combine. Both Raegor and Jefferson seem to profile best from the slot (as always this time of year, my huge caveat is that I don't watch much college ball). Our most glaring need at WR - especially if we lose Sanders - is an outside receiver. After Sanders, you could argue that all of our guys are best-suited to the slot. Samuel, Bourne, Taylor, Pettis, Hurd all fit better inside than outside, and only Samuel has even above average straight-line speed. And that absence was felt fairly acutely in the super bowl, though admittedly Jimmy doesn't have the deep ball to threaten deep consistently.

When healthy Jalen Hurd is a 4.3-4.4 guy, he’s a terrific athlete. Pettis is a 4.4 guy as well.

The reason that I like Reagor is that he has tremendous speed. We need a guy who can take the top off of the defense so that we have more room to work underneath stuff. He’s also a terrific return man which we desperately need.

It has been reported that Hurd had run a 4.47 40, although DraftScout.com listed his best time as 4.6 (worst time was listed as 4.7); I've never seen a source for Hurd ever running it in under 4.47 so I think 4.3 is too big a stretch; 4.6 -4.7 seems to be the range of his listed times. Scouts described his speed as "smooth" in that as a big guy, it takes him a while to build up to his top speed since he doesn't have the explosiveness that smaller receivers have. But even though he doesn't have explosive speed, you are correct that he is a terrific athlete: he has squatted over 500 lbs, posted a 40-inch vertical, and ran the 20-yard shuttle in 3.8. Not too worried about his lack of stopwatch speed; Jerry Rice ran a 4.71 but if you put a football in his hands and wearing full pads you weren't catching him from behind.

There's more to being a great athlete than just having sprinter speed and I am excited to see what Hurd can do in a Shanahan offense. With Hurd, Kittle and Bourne (assuming he returns), Jimmy G will have some solid redzone weapons. And Hurd joining Deebo and Kittle could give us three of the best YAC receivers in the game.

[CrimsonCrew]

Hurd may not have been 100%, but he ran well above 4.4 at his pro day - and those times tend to be a little faster than the combine, which has a somewhat slower track. Pettis never ran, but he doesn't play like a 4.3 guy. He's got very good change of direction skills, and he does so in a fluid way that makes him very tough to anticipate as a route runner, but he's not straight-line fast. And regardless of their speed, both guys just play better inside at this point.

I'm not opposed to Reagor at all, though I wouldn't like that pick in the first round because I think we have other, more glaring needs if we're not picking again for four rounds (obviously this changes if we trade back), and any WR we took there would have to be the BPA by a wide margin.

[Samurai]

According to Pro Football Network's Tony Pauline, Sanders wants to come back and the Niners want Sanders back. Pauline reports that as long as the contract "is not too exorbitant", then Sanders will be back with the Niners.

I hope that is true as I would like to see Sanders back. To me, that also takes a bit of the sting out of losing our 3rd and 4th round picks since we traded those for Sanders; would suck more to lose those picks and only get Sanders for half a season. Giving up those picks for another year or two of Sanders is more comforting. That being said, I'm still down with trading back out of the first round. Picking that late in the round means you are more likely using a first round pick on someone who has second round talent. If we could pick up a few more picks, especially a pick or two on day 2, that would be great.

[Samurai]

Hurd may not have been 100%, but he ran well above 4.4 at his pro day - and those times tend to be a little faster than the combine, which has a somewhat slower track. Pettis never ran, but he doesn't play like a 4.3 guy. He's got very good change of direction skills, and he does so in a fluid way that makes him very tough to anticipate as a route runner, but he's not straight-line fast. And regardless of their speed, both guys just play better inside at this point.

I'm not opposed to Reagor at all, though I wouldn't like that pick in the first round because I think we have other, more glaring needs if we're not picking again for four rounds (obviously this changes if we trade back), and any WR we took there would have to be the BPA by a wide margin.

Agree on your take on Reagor. He has the speed to go deep; the problem is that he struggles with the intermediate routes.
And the intermediate routes are Jimmy's bread and butter, much more so than throwing deep fly patterns. I like Reagor and he'd make a good day 2 pick, but he a) likely would be gone then and b) we don't have any day 2 picks. So I wouldn't want to use a first round pick and pay first round $$ to a guy who I am not convinced has first round talent. I'd rather trade back and see if we could sign a FA (like Taylor Gabriel) who can be signed fairly cheaply, has elite speed and has a proven history of success playing in Shanahan's offense.

[wco81]

Yeah but how are they with the jet sweep?

[Pattersonca65]

Gabriel was a kick returner in college. He hasn't returned kicks in the NFL since 2014 when he returned 4 kickoffs and averaged 24 yards/return. If Trent Taylor is back, he returned 30 punts in 2017 averaging 9.4 yards/return and returned 10 punts for 7.8 ypr in 2018. If Pettis returns, he is the all-time college record holder with 9 punt return touchdowns. Since Pettis certainly wasn't getting tired from all of his WR duties, not sure why the team didn't give him a shot as a returner instead of James last season.

According to Matt Maiocco, one of the reasons Pettis was in the doghouse this season is he was dropping too many passes in practice. The players had a running joke that all you had to do was touch Pettis and he would drop the ball. The 49ers tried Pettis at returninfg punts. He had nine attempts and fumbled twice and apparently did not look good as a returner. The 49ers plan when they drafted Pettis was for him to return punts. Sort of like a Tyler Lockett but he just couldn't make it in the NFL

Thanks for the info on Pettis. So if he can't catch passes or return punts, sounds like there is no point in bringing him back if we have Taylor and Hurd returning and the possibility of re-signing Sanders. Maybe a change in scenery may be best for him and if we can find another team to agree, it would be ideal if we could trade him for a draft pick.

This is what Shanahan said. Clearly Pettis has an issue with dedication and motivation when it comes to working to get better. Unortunate, because Pettis is clearly talented and has the potential to be a great WR.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/kyle-shanahan-explains-why-dante-000244422.html

[Samurai]

Yeah but how are they with the jet sweep?

Who are "they"? Hurd of course was a RB his first 3 years in college; he then left Tennessee to go to Baylor so he could play WR. In his season at Baylor, he averaged 4.4 yards per carry (48 attempts for 209 yards). Shanahan has already said that when healthy, he could envision Hurd lining up all over the place to take advantage of his background. Reagor averaged an impressive 9.3 yards per carry (35 attempts for 324 yards) but that, of course, was against college competition. Gabriel has averaged 6.8 yards per carry (28 attempts for 191 yards) but those were accomplished in the NFL with Shanahan as his O/C for 2 of the seasons.

Or was there another receiver you were asking about as part of the "they"?

[CrimsonCrew]

FWIW, Raegor had an awful combine. He jumped 42" and 138", which are elite numbers, but his runs were downright bad. 4.47 is a fine time, very good for some guys, but not a raw player who is supposed to be an offensive weapon. And his agility numbers were appalling. 4.46 on the short shuttle and 7.31 on the three-cone are awful times. Those are DK Metcalf bad (okay, he was worse at the combine at 7.38 and 4.5, but his pro day times were actually better than Raegor's). Shanahan places a lot of importance on the three-cone in particular, and there was talk that Samuel's mediocre 4.14 might knock him. This might knock Raegor off our board, and certainly should knock him out of contention for the 31st pick.

[CrimsonCrew]

A big part of the appeal of Taylor Gabriel is that he was cut, so he wouldn't count toward the comp pick formula.

[CrimsonCrew]

Met with Ruggs. I get that WR is, amazingly given the resources we've thrown at it, a pretty significant need. But we literally don't have any of our top four CBs under contract for 2021, and that was arguably our biggest weakness this season on D as is. Interior OL is also a huge need, but you can find those guys later in the draft. I'd like to see us trade back, address DB (likely CB) unless the value at WR is just ridiculous - which, to be fair, it might. From the sound of things, though, I have to mentally prepare myself for yet another draft in which we fail to adequately address CB.

[Bingo_AlphaMan]

Met with Ruggs. I get that WR is, amazingly given the resources we've thrown at it, a pretty significant need. But we literally don't have any of our top four CBs under contract for 2021, and that was arguably our biggest weakness this season on D as is. Interior OL is also a huge need, but you can find those guys later in the draft. I'd like to see us trade back, address DB (likely CB) unless the value at WR is just ridiculous - which, to be fair, it might. From the sound of things, though, I have to mentally prepare myself for yet another draft in which we fail to adequately address CB.

He’d be a great fit in this offense but I just think they’re simply doing their due diligence. I see them drafting multiple DBs in this upcoming draft if we don’t sign someone in free agency.