49ers 2017 Season: The new passing game

The players

The 49ers identity at the receiving positions have been completely overhauled this offseason and attempting to ascertain what the thinking is has been something that I only recently understand. I once addressed this topic in a pre-draft article that outlined what the team had already signed and what they might be looking to acquire in the later rounds of the draft that you may read here.

What I have come to understand is the fact that what Kyle Shanahan covets most out of his players is the ability to create space from coverage in intermediate routes and catch then fight for yardage with the ball.

He enjoys pure route runners that have good hands and aggression in pursuit of the catch and natural skills and understanding of how to put themselves away from coverage with split second windows.

He also likes to compliment these players with pure speed that can keep the best pass defenders one on one and away from the play with burners that promote respect deep down the field.

I saw plenty of speed added to the receiving corp with the additions of Marquis Goodwin, Aldrick Robinson and DeAndre Carter. These are the players he plans to use to compliment his biggest weapons in the passing game by demanding the best cover corners on the opposing defense to stretch deep down the field while the real threat is eating up the underneath routes.

In Shanahan’s offense, everyone on the field is a receiving threat and in the first few weeks of free agency, the 49ers signed nine receiving threats. Five were wide receivers, two were running backs, one tight end and the finest receiving fullback in all of football.

After the previously mentioned speedsters, the 49ers added to Shanahan’s signature possession style pass-catchers by adding arguably the best possession WR in the league, Pierre Garcon. They then added to this group by resigning Jeremy Kerley, the 2016 surprise standout that proved to be able to separate from coverage and make plays better than any 49er last year.

They then drafted a giant underdog in Round 5 from Louisiana Tech. WR Trent Taylor. The word giant can only be used when describing this guy if you are referring to the amount of fight and aggression in his playing style or if you are referring to the amount that he has been underrated by a mistaken value on his measurables. The measurables that everyone tends to look at are his size, at 5 foot 8 and 180 pounds he was widely ignored despite his impressive numbers in college and high school.

Trent Taylor could prove to be one of the biggest steals in the 49ers draft after looking at his highlights:

Taylor’s stats speak for themselves, with 136 receptions, 1,803 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2016 alone. Nicknamed “Mini Beast” by his teammates, he runs with authority after the catch and creates separation on routes that draw comparisons to some of the best small receivers that people can remember.

Taylor is 10 pounds of fight in a five-pound bag with the agility and toughness to make a difference in the slot. He comes with one of those rare stiff-arms that only players of his size and body control have. Throwing an arm out that moves him away from an encroaching defender as his always moving feet are not on the ground, instead of jostling the defender himself.

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New 49er fullback Kyle Juszczyk is described as an offensive weapon because of his versatility in the passing game. Both Juszczyk and Taylor are the most fun to watch play out of this new team.

The string of running backs brought in to compliment current starter Carlos Hyde all are very competent pass-catchers. Tim Hightower has made his living as a dual threat runner and is most dangerous running receiving routes out of the backfield. Young buck HBs Joe Williams, Kapri Bibbs and Matt Breida are all dangerous receiving threats as well.

The new TE acquisitions in the passing game speak volumes to what Shanahan plans with this new team. Round 5 draft selection George Kittle is the best all-around TE that came out of this draft and his ability to effectively deliver blocks, peel and catch then fight for yardage will prove to be a cornerstone of this passing game. I Profiled him extensively in part one of this series but he needs to be mentioned with the same respect in the passing game as the running game.

Cole Hikutini was signed as an undrafted free agent that slipped under a lot of folks radars this year due to an injury that hurt him in the combine. In reality, he is very similar to current 49ers TE Vance McDonald but perhaps with better hands. Two TEs that have excellent receiving skills and speed and could prove to be fantastic rotational players, especially if they can pick up their blocking game.

I previously thought of size as our biggest need in our receiving corp and that still might turn out to be true. After seeing where and how this staff addressed the pass-catchers, I see the best players available that would allow Shanahan to run his offense from anywhere on the field in any situation.

Large TEs and FBs can be red-zone threats and possession WRs can get you there while fast burners create the space to make it all happen. The HBs are always a potential threat that can damage you in the flats, screens or running deep routes out of the backfield in between coverages.

The last thing left in the equation is the delivery. How have the 49ers addressed the QB position in the first year of the new regime and why?