49ers Announce Plan to Bench Rookie WR After Slow Start

Getty San Francisco 49ers WR Jacob Cowing

The San Francisco 49ers are making a change after the team’s youngest WR has had a slow start to the season. While it may not affect his playing time with the offense specifically, WR Jacob Cowing will no longer be the team’s starting punt returner.

On October 2, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan announced that the team will be moving forward with FB Kyle Juszczyk as the team’s starting punt returner. Shanahan was asked about Juszczyk’s clutch gene, before stating the change in a follow-up question.

“I don’t care how good your hands are, but just to get thrown in an NFL game and go catch a punt isn’t very easy. Especially when we’re telling him he hasn’t, all he’s got to do is fair catch it. Kyle doesn’t. He’s very confident, he wants to take his opportunity to try to earn that job and try to break tackles and go after it… He’ll be starting the rest of the year,” Shanahan said.

Juszczyk came in to return the punt after Cowing suffered a shoulder issue. But instead of ensuring security with a fair catch, the 49ers FB caught the punt and returned it for 8 yards.

49ers Rookie Muffed Punt in Week 2

While his shoulder issue is definitely a part of Juszczyk becoming the starting punt returner, Cowing didn’t exactly seize his opportunity at PR. He is averaging a 5.3 yards per return and has returned six total punts.

Back in the Week 2 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Cowing also muffed a punt. It was his NFL debut, so nerves are to be expected. The 49ers were able to recover the fumble thanks to DB Isaac Yiadom getting on the ball.

After the game, Shanahan did back up Cowing. He stated that the 2024 fourth-round pick is still someone they have in their plans, and he proceeded to give him opportunities over the next few weeks.

“That’s one muffed punt,” Shanahan said on September 18. “Just when it comes to catching stuff, he’s been as natural of a catcher as we’ve had in our eight years here, just in practice, how he’s been in the games. I know that one got away from him, which we can’t have those. But everyone muffs one here and there. You just hope that was the end of it.”

Juszczyk’s Seeing Uptick in Utilization

To go along with returning punts, Juszczyk has also had his name called at a higher rate this year. Through four games, the 2023 All-Pro has 7 catches for 77 yards. The 33-year-old is primarily used as a blocker, but his ability to catch and run has been big for San Francisco.

As thing stand, Juszczyk is on pace for 30 catches this season. His most receptions with the Niners in a season came in 2017 (33,) his first year with the 49ers. Over the past two seasons, Juszczyk had caught just 33 passes total.

Further, he is currently averaging 19.25 receiving yards per game. If that pace keeps up, he would finish with 327 receiving yards. That would be the highest receiving total in his entire 12-year career.