49ers vs. Chargers: 4 players who are fighting for final roster spots

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49ers vs. Chargers 5 players fighting for roster spots

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) /

WR Kendrick Bourne

Fellow holdover wideout Dante Pettis is a lock to make the 49ers’ final roster, the news of which came straight from the mouth of his head coach and biggest critic yesterday. However, San Francisco’s leading wide receiver from 2018, albeit with a paltry 487 receiving yards, appears to be on the outside looking in.

Pettis’ extremely quiet preseason has been a cause for concern for Shanahan and the 49ers’ coaching staff, but his second-round draft stock and higher long-term upside give him a distinct advantage over WR Kendrick Bourne, who initially made the team as an undrafted free agent in 2017.

There is a lot to like about Bourne, one of the 49ers’ larger receivers who is known to be a team player and made major strides in his second season in the league:

**San Francisco 49ers WR Kendrick Bourne – NFL Statistics**
				Game	Game	Rece	Rece	Rece	Rece	Rece	Rece	Rece	Rece	Rece	Rece
Year	Age	Tm	No.	G	GS	Tgt	Rec	Yds	Y/R	TD	Lng	R/G	Y/G	Ctch%	Y/Tgt	Fmb	AV
2017	22	SFO	84	11	0	34	16	257	16.1	0	54	1.5	23.4	47.1%	7.6	0	2
2018	23	SFO	84	16	8	66	42	487	11.6	4	33	2.6	30.4	63.6%	7.4	1	4
Care	Care			27	8	100	58	744	12.8	4	54	2.1	27.6	58.0%	7.4	1	6

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table

But in the end, the roster is a numbers game, and the addition of rookie wide receivers Jalen Hurd and Deebo Samuel only hurt Bourne’s cause. With the two rookies, Trent Taylor and Marquise Goodwin all locks to make the team, Bourne already had a steep hill to climb. And Richie James‘ breakout preseason makes Bourne’s path only steeper.

What was once a three-receiver race for two potential roster spots has become a two-player battle between the former undrafted free agent Bourne and the next player on our list, veteran wide receiver Jordan Matthews: