Niner Noise
FanSided

5 biggest takeaways from 49ers roster cuts in 2019

By Peter Panacy

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 01: Kyle Shanahan attends SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIII Radio Row on February 01, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - FEBRUARY 01: Kyle Shanahan attends SiriusXM at Super Bowl LIII Radio Row on February 01, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images for SiriusXM) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 5
Next
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. 4: Wide Receiver Kendrick Bourne Did Enough Despite the Drops

Jordan Matthews and third-year receiver Kendrick Bourne were widely viewed competing for just one spot on the 49ers roster in training camp and the preseason.

And the battle certainly seemed to ebb back and forth from spring workouts through the preseason, Matthews shining early with Bourne catching on as of late.

Bourne had drops during the preseason, though, including a major one in Denver and another during the Niners’ exhibition finale against the Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday. Yet Bourne seemed to answer back each bad play with a good one, including touchdowns against the Broncos and Chargers in each of those games.

Following the Chargers game, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters he considered “Bourne having some of the better hands” on the roster:

With Matthews no longer in the picture, it appears Shanahan’s vote of confidence during this particular presser was good enough.

One can only hope Bourne’s consistency gets better in the regular season, though.