5 players whose 49ers future will be decided over final four games
By Peter Panacy
No. 1: Wide Receiver Dante Pettis
At the end of 2018, the 49ers looked like they had a top wide receiver in their ranks in Dante Pettis, whose final five games were certainly impressive enough to suggest he’d be a great long-term find.
San Francisco 49ers
In 2019, however, the context has shifted dramatically.
Pettis struggled in training camp, and his notable disappearing act from Kyle Shanahan’s offense over the course of the season hasn’t gone unnoticed. Pettis has just 11 receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns, numbers mostly less impressive than the already-unspectacular stats Marquise Goodwin has put up this season.
More concerning is the fact Pettis has seen just 40.6 of the Niners offensive snaps this season, less than those given to Kendrick Bourne, an undrafted free agent performing much better than Pettis this season.
San Francisco has become much more enamored with Deebo Samuel this season than Pettis. And if Shanahan and John Lynch decide it’s a good move to re-sign the veteran, Emmanuel Sanders, this offseason, it could easily spell the end of Pettis’ brief tenure with the team.
Pettis will need to be a key factor over these final four weeks to get back into Shanahan’s good graces.
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If not, the second-year wideout faces an uncertain future beyond this season.