You can never be deep enough at any one position in the NFL, which is why teams like the San Francisco 49ers have to look alive when potential additions can be made.
49ers general manager John Lynch has a good history with “looking alive,” best evidenced by the shrewd trade deals to land wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders last season and offensive tackle Trent Williams during this year’s NFL draft.
However, one area the 49ers may still need help in is in the receiving group, especially if electric wideout Deebo Samuel has his season gnawed into by the jones fracture in June.
Alongside the injury to Richie James Jr., the 49ers have to consider the possibility of bolstering their ranks. With the recent news that the Los Angeles Chargers have released WR Andre Patton, the 49ers could grab a receiver with tremendous upside.
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Who is Andre Patton?
Patton isn’t exactly a renown player, so no blame to those who haven’t heard much about him. With just six receptions and 56 yards in his NFL career, that only makes sense.
Patton spent four years at Rutgers between 2013 and 2016, which was not easy going for the receiver. However, his 892 receiving yards over his final two seasons were the most in that time span and was the Scarlet Knights’ best passing weapon, despite Rutgers not having very impressive quarterbacks.
After going undrafted, Patton grinded in his first couple years with the Chargers, being a practice squad player in both the 2017 and 2018 season. However, last year, Patton was given his chance, earning five starts and appearing 13 total times.
While 56 total yards isn’t anything impressive, what is Patton’s ascension to being a starting receiver for Los Angeles. Making the most of two years of hard work as a practice opponent is something that deserves to be commended.
But don’t take our word for it, look at what Chargers’ fans and media said in response to his release.
Fans, Media Surprised by Patton’s Release
To put it simply, many did not see Patton being released, with most expecting him to be the team’s No. 3 receiver by the time the season started.
The Athletic’s Daniel Popper was one reporter who thought the receiver’s speed would be better utilized in 2020.
@ChefKubano I’ll wear that one. I was wrong. I was definitely surprised by the move.
Patton’s release came just a couple days after Chargers HC Anthony Lynn commented on the need for speed at the No. 3 position.
One account brings up that part of the surprise is due to Patton having more experience than most of the players he was competing against.
While fans and media reactions and opinions doesn’t necessarily mean that the Chargers didn’t have a reason to release Patton, it does show that, despite his minimal numbers and game-time, those who were watching closest believed in Patton’s ability and looked at 2020 as a big year for him.
Instead, the 49ers can add to their receiving depth and likely spend very little money doing so. The group has talent, but could use bolstering, especially considering that Deebo Samuel may miss the start of the season.
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Evan Reier is a sportswriter covering the San Francisco 49ers for Heavy.com and local sports for the Montana Standard in Butte, Mont. Reach out to him on Twitter at @evanreier and join our 49ers community at Heavy on 49ers on Facebook.
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49ers Adding Released Chargers WR Makes Perfect Sense