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49ers vs. Broncos: 5 top performances from preseason Week 2

By Robert Morrison

DENVER, CO - AUGUST 19: Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne #84 of the San Francisco 49ers is congratulated by tight end Tyree Mayfield #48 after a fourth quarter touchdown against the Denver Broncos during a preseason National Football League game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on August 19, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 19: Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne #84 of the San Francisco 49ers is congratulated by tight end Tyree Mayfield #48 after a fourth quarter touchdown against the Denver Broncos during a preseason National Football League game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on August 19, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – AUGUST 19: Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne #84 of the San Francisco 49ers catches a touchdown pass against cornerback Trey Johnson #39 of the Denver Broncos during the fourth quarter of a preseason game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on August 19, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – AUGUST 19: Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne #84 of the San Francisco 49ers catches a touchdown pass against cornerback Trey Johnson #39 of the Denver Broncos during the fourth quarter of a preseason game at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on August 19, 2019 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

No. 3: Wide Receiver Kendrick Bourne

There’s been a lot of conversation about where wide receiver Kendrick Bourne fits into the 2019 iteration of the 49ers. Sure, he led all wide receivers in receiving yards last season, but the number wasn’t eye-popping (just 487 on 42 receptions) and given the choices the team made over the offseason, it looks like head coach Kyle Shanahan feels he can do better at the position than last year.

And then this training camp, there’s been a lot of noise about Bourne showing great ability to separate, a skill he showed early in the third quarter when quarterback C.J. Beathard tossed a deep pass the receiver’s direction.

Unfortunately, Bourne dropped what looked like a relatively simple catch, causing The Athletic‘s Matt Barrows to tweet this:

But to Bourne’s great credit, he bounced back from the drop to turn a short pass by quarterback Nick Mullens into a 26-yard pick up. And then following an interception by cornerback Dontae Johnson, hauled in this spectacular grab to score the 49ers’ final touchdown:

Bourne continues to be a hot or cold quantity for the 49ers offense, but there’s simply no doubt that when he’s got the ball in his hands, he often looks explosive.

Still, he’s going to need to show more consistency to survive the preseason and make his way onto the 53-man roster.

Hopefully Monday night’s game will the start of Bourne’s showing up.