The 49ers on Thursday signed two more wide receivers with NFL experience -- Kevin White and River Cracraft -- to provide fresh legs to a weary position group.
The 49ers’ issues at wide receiver began shortly after the club’s virtual offseason program concluded. And their problems have not let up.
Deebo Samuel and Richie James sustained June injuries that landed them on the non-football injury list at the opening of training camp.
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The 49ers hope Samuel will be back from a fractured foot for the start of the regular season. The club expects James to spend at least the first six games of the regular season on the non-football injury list with a fractured wrist.
Then, the 49ers lost Jalen Hurd to a torn ACL before he even stepped on the practice field.
“Three of the guys that we planned on playing with, we lost before we even started playing,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Currently, rookie receiver Brandon Aiyuk is sidelined for a couple of weeks with a hamstring strain.
San Francisco 49ers
In the first week of camp, the 49ers signed veteran receivers Tavon Austin, J.J. Nelson and Jaron Brown. On Thursday, Brown was released to help make room for White and Cracraft, both of whom signed one-year contracts.
The new additions are considered long shots, at best, for the 49ers’ 53-man roster. But Shanahan said he hopes White and Cracraft show they can provide the team with NFL-caliber insurance policies.
“You got to keep bringing other guys in to help spell those legs,” Shanahan said. “Every time you do bring guys in to help do that, we’re hoping that we’re bringing in some NFL players.
“You’re not just bringing in legs, but you’re bringing in guys that you want to work with and spend time with who have a chance to help our team if they’re better than guys we got or if they get an opportunity because of injuries.”
Assuming Samuel is cleared for the start of the regular season, he, Aiyuk, Kendrick Bourne and Trent Taylor are locks to make the team. Dante Pettis appears to be in good shape to win a roster spot, too.
That could leave one spot available among all of the other receivers in camp: Austin, Nelson, Jauan Jennings, Shawn Poindexter and, now, White and Cracraft.
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White, the No. 7 overall pick of the Chicago Bears in 2015, appeared in just 14 games due to injuries in his four seasons. He has just 25 catches for 285 yards and no touchdowns.
Cracraft appeared in nine games with the Denver Broncos in 2018 and ’19. He caught one pass for 44 yards and a touchdown, while also averaging 3.3 yards on 12 punt returns and 14.3 yards on three kickoff returns.