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49ers position battles: Wide receivers
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Bruce was the team's leading receiver last year. Will
he have the same success in 2009?
(AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)
During the off-season, a few of the biggest topics of concern for the team circled around the wide receiver position. Will Isaac Bruce return? Can the team sign a good wide receiver in free agency? Who is the #1 receiver?
Well, now that we're into camp, we have the wide receiver rosters set up and we can now picture what the receiving group can do for the team.
Currently on roster:
- Arnaz Battle (entering 7th year)
- Dobson Collins (entering 1st year)
- Jason Hill (entering 3rd year)
- Dominique Zeigler (entering 2nd year)
- Isaac Bruce (entering 16th year)
- Josh Morgan (entering 2nd year)
- Micheal Spurlock (entering 2nd year)
- Maurice Price (entering 2nd year)
- Michael Crabtree (entering 1st year)
- Mark Bradford (entering 1st year)
- Brandon Jones (entering 4th year)
The biggest wide receiver news this off-season came at the draft when the 49ers used their #10 pick to select Texas Tech wide out Michael Crabtree. His performance in the past two seasons are impressive and given the opportunity, Crabtree has a lot of upside to his game.
The biggest concern right now is his how his stress fracture will heal. This past week, he has been running sprints and looks like he will be ready to participate with the rest of the team in July.
But with Crabtree, the 49ers hope that they have found their #1 receiver of the future.
Last year, the team's #1 receiver was veteran Isaac Bruce led the team with 61 receptions. With one more year left on his contract, this might be Bruce's final season in the league. But we shouldn't expect the 49ers to throw to Bruce like they did last year. Even though Bruce may have the most reliable hands on the team, the 49ers are working real hard to groom three other star receivers.
The development of Jason Hill, Josh Morgan and Dominique Zeigler last year gives the 49ers a tough task in finding roster spots for all of them. All three could very well make the team this year and they all should if they continue to play at the level they did last year.
Josh Morgan surprised everyone with his play during the preseason and late last year, emerged as a clear talent the 49ers could not ignore. In the second to last game of the season, Morgan's game-winning touchdown proved that he could be the big game changing receiver the team could rely on.
Jason Hill on the other hand has been used primarily for the third down passes. Hill's development as a possession receiver has provided the 49ers with the opportunity to go to him for the tough yards late in the game. Also, Dominique Zeigler looks to have a little bit of Morgan and Hill in his game. In what we've seen from him, he can go the short or deep route. He can definitely open up the field for the passing game.
Veteran Arnaz Battle has been battling a foot injury for a long time and his time away from the team could hurt his chances to be an effective part of their offensive strategy. With so many receivers on the roster, what might keep Battle on the roster could be his veteran leadership. Aside from that, he really needs to make impressive strides at camp to stand out.
Recently signed free agent Brandon Jones was expected to be possibly the second or third wide receiver on the depth chart. But when the 49ers drafted Crabtree, that changed up a whole lot for the 49ers. Jones might now drop to the fourth or fifth spot on the depth chart. However, nothing is set in stone for Jones, but he has to prove that he can make the big catches.
Last year in Tennessee, Jones had 41 catches in a run-oriented offense. We have yet to see his potential and Jones hopes to show that potential with the 49ers and a fresh start.
Dobson Collins, Maurice Price and Mark Bradford are all rookie free agents the team signed. They have gotten a good fair share of playing time during practice, but it might be hard to picture these guys making the roster. However, the most interesting player in the group is Micheal Spurlock.
Known for his kick return skills, Spurlock has been given a chance to play a lot at wide receiver. He is still rather young and could very well sneak onto the roster with this speed.
My prediction for the roster will be six receivers: Bruce, Crabtree, Hill, Morgan, Zeigler and Jones. Battle's injury will be the x-factor during this summer's camp.
Trying out Twitter for 49ers updates. Check me out here @SLam49ers
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