Marqise

Lee

He was waived to make room for WR Bennie Fowler, who signed a one-year deal with the team on Friday. Lee, 29, missed the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL, managed just six games in 2019, and hasn’t played a full season since 2016. He remains a long-shot to make a roster out of camp.

New England released Lee this month after he opted out of the 2020 season. He didn’t play a snap for the Patriots after playing five seasons in Jacksonville. Lee, 29, missed the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL and managed just six games in 2019. He hasn’t played a full season since 2016, when he caught 63 passes for 861 yards and three scores -- a career year. The former second round draft pick will have a decidedly uphill climb if he’s going to see regular usage in the 49ers offense this year.

Lee’s one-year contract with the Patriots would have tolled following last season’s opt out had the team chose to keep him around. A full year and change removed from his last regular season rep, it’s truly a question mark whether the 29-year-old will be relevant in the league again.

New England had a league-high eight players opt out of the 2020 season, an option offered to players who did not want to play while the COVID-19 pandemic raged. “From my understanding they’ll all be back,” McCourty told NBC Sports’ Tom Curran on Friday. That would include standout linebacker Dont’a Hightower, tackle Marcus Cannon, safety Patrick Chung, tight end Matt LaCosse, running back Brandon Bolden, fullback Dan Vitale, receiver Marqise Lee, and guard Najee Toran. Unless the team upgrades at wideout in the coming months, Lee could instantly become the team’s best receiver if he’s active in 2021. There was some question as to whether Hightower would return next season; McCourty seems to think he will. Hightower’s return would be a crucial addition for one of the league’s most talent starved teams.

This is a voluntary opt-out — Lee will miss the season for personal reasons. He joins a growing list of Patriots, including LB Dont’a Hightower, SS Patrick Chung and RT Marcus Cannon. Lee played in just six games with Jacksonville last year and was on the outside looking in for a roster spot. His one-year contract will toll into 2021.

Lee will turn 29 in November. He posted 63-851-3 and 56-702-3 lines in 2016 and 2017, respectively, before missing the entire 2018 season with a torn ACL. Then he played in just six games in 2019. The veteran WR hasn’t made a career of winning on pure athleticism, so it’s unclear if he’ll be able to regain his once-promising form in New England. The Patriots are still expected to utilize Julian Edelman, Mohamed Sanu and N’Keal Harry in three-WR sets.

Lee, 28, was the 39th overall pick in the 2014 draft and is the latest once-high draft pick to be sent packing by the Jaguars. Lee posted a combined 119-1,553-6 line across 30 games with Blake Bortles in 2016 and 2017 but ended up tearing his ACL and missed all of 2018 and appeared in just six games last season, catching three balls for 18 scoreless yards. He’s never been an exceptional athlete at the position, relatively speaking, so losing anything after the ACL tear was going to hurt Lee. He was scheduled to collect a $6.25 million salary in 2020. We don’t expect Lee to have a hot market. He’ll likely have to settle for a one-year, near-minimum deal.

Lee lasted just three games before going on IR in another injury-marred year. He’s been a massive bust since signing a four-year, $38 million deal in 2018. Moving on from Lee this offseason should be an easy decision. Jacksonville can save $5.25 million in cap space from Lee’s release.

So ends another injury-marred campaign for the former second-rounder, who dealt with knee and ankle issues before his shoulder acted up. Going on 28, Lee will close the book on 2019 with just three catches since 2017. He signed a new four-year, $38 million deal in March 2018 but will undoubtedly be sent packing in the offseason. Such a move would clear $5.25 million in cap space while leaving behind $3.5 million in dead money.

NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Lee is week to week. The Jaguars will continue using D.J. Chark, Dede Westbrook (questionable), and Chris Conley as the top receivers with Leonard Fournette handling an elite workload on the ground.