The season has not even started, and already, the San Francisco 49ers are facing major problems at wide receiver. Entering the season shorthanded, with Brandon Aiyuk still recovering from a torn ACL and Demarcus Robinson facing a three-game suspension, the 49ers need every single one of their healthy pass catchers to step up and make up for the losses.
But now it looks like the 49ers are down another receiver. Jacob Cowing, a fourth round pick from the 2024 draft, pulled his hamstring in the team’s first training camp practice on July 22, putting his status for the start of the season up in the air. Head coach, Kyle Shanahan, spoke with the media after practice to address the severity of Cowing’s injury.
Shanahan’s Comments
A strong offseason from Cowing put him in line to take on a much bigger role in the passing game as a second year pro. The severity of Cowing’s injury is still unknown and while it does set him back a little bit, the team is hopeful that he can be back out on the field in no time.
“I thought Jake had one of the best OTAs out of anybody on our team in terms of most-improved, the most prepared for it,” Shanahan said. “Unfortunately, I think he pulled his hamstring on routes on air today before we started. So, I’d say to just keep on his trajectory. Hopefully, he can stay healthy and keep going to where he did in OTAs, but probably had a little setback today. So hopefully, that’s better news than what we’re guessing out there, and he can get back, and get back to what he was doing in OTAs.”
From the sound of it, it does not appear the team is too concerned about Cowing being out long term. Still, any injuries that happen– especially at this point in the season– are alarming and make you wonder just how bad it is. Hopefully, Cowing avoided anything too serious.
Cowing’s Value for This Season
Cowing played in 15 games as a rookie last season, but was limited to mostly special teams. Offensively, he caught only four passes for 80 yards and was did not play much of a role in the passing game. But his speed, athleticism and strong route running skills that he showcased in college make him the type of player that can breakout at any time. With Aiyuk out and Robinson most likely suspended, it is highly likely that if Cowing returns in time, he will compete with Ricky Pearsall to be the starting receiver opposite Jauan Jennings.
But it is now likely that the 49ers will look to sign a depth receiver while Cowing is out, which could further hamper his development when he does return. Now all that is left for Cowing to do is pray that his injury is minor and that he can return to the practice field as quickly as possible.
