49ers Try Out Former $32.5 Million Starter, 3 More: Report

Getty Mohamed Sanu of the San Francisco 49ers catching a pass.

The San Francisco 49ers are looking for help at wide receiver and at this point, they are too particular about how they get it. The team’s pursuit began heading into Week 8, when they signed Willie Snead IV from the practice squad to their active roster for the second time this season. Much like on the first occasion, Snead was a non-factor against the Rams and when the game came to an end, John Lynch released the journeyman receiver back onto the open market.

Could Snead be back on the practice squad in the not-too-distant future? That is very possible, as he doesn’t have to pass through waivers to be eligible to return but in the meantime, San Francisco is looking at their options, as, according to Mike Garafolo of the NFL Network, the team spent their day working out Adam Humphries, Tajae Sharpe, Austin Mack and former 49er Mohamed Sanu.

Now granted, as things presently stand, the 49ers have one open roster spot and haven’t added another player to their active roster or even practice squad on the final day of October, but unless Lynch has another trade up his sleeve, it would appear a San Francisco will address the wide receiver spot one way or another before their next game, which comes on November 13th against the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi’s Stadium.

Could The Third Time Be The Charm For Mohamed Sanu?

Sanu has been a member of the 49ers twice, first in 2020, when he signed with the team after being released by the New England Patriots and again in 2021, when he signed a free agent deal in march before being placed on IR in November and activated in January 2022 for three-straight DNPs to close out the playoffs.

Over his two tenures in San Francisco, Sanu has appeared in 11 games with no starts and had caught 16 of the 25 passes thrown his way for 186 yards and zero touchdowns as a part-time, rotational contributor in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Though Sanu did sign with the Miami Dolphins in free agency, he was released coming out of camp and hasn’t appeared in a game since he last wore a 49ers jersey on on November 7th, 2022.

Could the one-time Atlanta Falcons starter still have a few meaningful snaps left in him? Potentially so, but it’s safe to say fans online aren’t too excited to see a third run with Sanu hauling in passes from Jimmy Garoppolo for a third time.

Elijah Mitchell Could Fill The San Francisco 49ers’ Vacant Roster Spot

While the 49ers could replace fill Snead’s roster spot with one of the players they worked out on Monday, which also included defensive backs Troy Pride, Iman Marshall, and Benjie Franklin, it’s also possible the roster spot could be pegged for Elijah Mitchell, San Francisco’s Week 1 starting running back who left the Chicago Bears game with an ankle injury that landed him on IR.

Speaking with NBC Sports Bay Area earlier this month, Kyle Shanahan suggested that he’d like to see Mitchell back by the Bye, which is about to begin.

“We’re hoping to get [Mitchell] back after the bye week [the first week of November],” Shanahan said. “From what I’ve heard, there’s been no setback, so that would be huge for us. We’ve had to hold it down while he’s gone.”

After watching Christian McCaffrey dominate in his first start with the team, getting Mitchell back would make Shanahan’s rushing offense all the more lethal.