SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — When it comes to the San Francisco 49ers wide receiver room this summer, the focus has been more on the players who aren’t practicing than the ones who are.
Star wideout Brandon Aiyuk is still refusing to practice under a contract lockout five weeks after arriving at training camp, and first-round rookie Ricky Pearsall is struggling to get on the field due to various injuries.
These absences have created a void that fourth-round rookie Jacob Cowing would like to fill.
After missing some time early in training camp with a hamstring injury, Cowing shined in practice last week and then showed his performance in the game. Cowing caught four passes for 51 yards, had a 19-yard run on an end-around and returned two punts for 19 yards. Sunday night against New Orleans in an all-round performance that showed that he can definitely make a contribution this season.
“It was a good feeling to finally get out there and get some experience,” Cowing said. “Going out there and playing against another team that’s not ours. It was fun playing with other guys too. All in all, I think it was a good day for everyone.”
Cowing showed good agility and quickness with the ball in his hands, but his most impactful performance came as a receiver on the field. Late in the first half, he beat a cornerback on a pump-and-go route and caught a 38-yard pass from Joshua Dobbs with an over-the-shoulder grab along the sideline.
This move caught the attention of his teammates.
“It was really nice to see him back on the field,” Dobbs said. “He can line up in any position and knows what to do, not to mention his speed and what he can do with the ball in his hands. Seeing that live in the stadium was really good for me. I thought it was great for his confidence.”
Cowing was a productive receiver in college, catching 316 for 4,477 yards in five seasons at UTEP and Arizona, which led to him being selected in the fourth round by San Francisco in April.
Cowing knew he had to prove himself at the professional level and couldn’t do that right at the start of training camp due to his hamstring injury, which is why the final week of training was so important to build his belief and gain the trust of his teammates and coaches.
“I think I just gained a lot more confidence in my abilities and the playbook,” he said. “Being able to study the playbook the way I did, certain things in that game stick out to me. So I was able to play fast and execute my game a little bit. I play a little bit relaxed, but overall I just go out there confident and just play my style of football.”
While Cowing’s ability to make big plays on offense stood out Sunday, it’s his reliability as a punt returner that could be most important in securing a starting position come Sept. 9 when the season begins.
San Francisco is looking for a new returner after Ray-Ray McCloud left as a free agent in the offseason. They brought back veteran Trent Taylor for his reliability and clean ball-catching ability, but would likely prefer someone with Cowing’s game-winning speed.
“We drafted him hoping he had the potential,” coach Kyle Shanahan said. “(That) was really the first time we were able to get him out there and he was healthy for a week, so he definitely has a chance, but (it) was a step in the right direction.”
Cowing’s emergence is more important because there is even more uncertainty surrounding Aiyuk and Pearsall. Aiyuk has skipped the entire offseason program and hasn’t practiced all summer as he seeks a contract extension or a transfer to become the latest receiver to cash in on a lucrative contract.
Aiyuk was a key part of San Francisco’s offense last season and formed a great relationship with quarterback Brock Purdy. Aiyuk caught 75 balls last season for a career-high 1,375 yards and seven touchdowns and was named to the All-Pro second team.
The Niners should have considered a safety for Aiyuk when they drafted Pearsall 31st overall in April, but he was slowed by a shoulder injury during the offseason program, began training camp on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, then re-injured his shoulder more than two weeks ago and hasn’t practiced since.
NOTES: G Jon Feliciano had knee surgery and will miss about half the season. … Shanahan had no update on the status of talks with Aiyuk or departing LT Trent Williams. … Rookie RB Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) returned to practice.
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