The San Francisco 49ers are more than happy to put Brandon Aiyuk on the field in Monday's season opener with the New York Jets with just a week of practice under his belt.
But Aiyuk might not have a full workload following the end of his protracted contract saga .
Kyle Shanahan was asked on Thursday if Aiyuk was in line to play around 98 percent of the snaps. Aiyuk played 75 percent of the offensive snaps last season but featured on over 90 percent in five regular-season games.
Referencing both Aiyuk and All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, who also only returned to practice on Tuesday after the end of a contract stand-off , Shanahan replied: "Yeah, I’d be surprised with that, but my expectations are that I’d be surprised with 98 percent.
"But I’ll see as the week goes. We’ve had one practice with him. He threw with Brock over the weekend. We got one practice with Trent. Today will be their second. We’ll see how they are these three days and then kind of evaluate it.”
Shanahan's answer leaves the door open for more of a rotation policy at receiver. Jauan Jennings would likely be the primary beneficiary as the 49ers' third receiver.
However, with first-round pick Ricky Pearsall on the non-football injury list as he recovers from being shot last weekend , fourth-round rookie Jacob Cowing is potentially in position to take advantage of some Week 1 snaps.
Cowing compares well to his idol
Cowing, after struggling with injuries during training camp, closed the preseason with two excellent performances, showcasing traits that should encourage Shanahan to put him on the field early.
He was impressive against both the New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas, with Cowing displaying the speed and fluidity in changing direction that helped convince the 49ers to draft him.
The former Arizona wideout has previously said he models his game after Seattle Seahawks star Tyler Lockett, and that was obvious from Cowing's tape as he finished with seven catches for 90 yards and a touchdown across two preseason appearances.
He understands how to attack leverage, win with his release at the line of scrimmage and manipulate defenders by varying his route speeds. On top of that, Cowing has displayed a willingness to work back to the ball, as well as the ball tracking skills and concentration to secure catches on off-target throws.
Willing to do the dirty work
Perhaps the most encouraging aspect of Cowing's play in preseason was the least spectacular. His efforts in the preseason finale saw Cowing demonstrate a clear desire to put the work in as a run blocker, including on a play in the red zone that saw Patrick Taylor Jr. find the endzone.
Still, his play in that area obviously won't be enough to elevate him above Jennings in the pecking order. Jennings has established himself as an extremely reliable receiver who does exceptional work in the run game.
For the most part, when the Niners are in 11 personnel, the three receivers will still be Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and Jennings. However, with Aiyuk's lack of time to prepare for the Jets game, the 49ers may be more willing to turn to a rookie who has demonstrated intriguing route-running nuance, has the deep speed to create explosive plays against a stingy New York secondary and may not be the liability some might expect in the blocking game despite a small and slight 168-pound frame.
The 49ers' rookie class has impressed through training camp and preseason but, beyond starting right guard Dominick Puni, few members of it may get a chance to make an impact in the opener outside of on special teams.
Cowing appears a strong candidate to be the 49ers' punt returner, but he could also get some opportunities to flash his potential on offense. Given the enticing match between his skill set and a Shanahan offense that consistently puts receivers in open space, there's every chance he could announce himself to the wider NFL world in style on primetime.
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