San Francisco 49ers: 5 options for No. 3 wide receiver in 2020

No. 4: Travis Benjamin

Kyle Shanahan’s offense is complex, and both route running and speed are two preferred traits the head coach has for his system.

So it helps to have previous experience working within this kind of offense, and that’s probably a big reason why the 49ers brought aboard former Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Travis Benjamin on a one-year free-agent deal.

Benjamin, who recently turned 30 years old, played under Shanahan back in 2014 when both were with the Cleveland Browns, so there’s familiarity with the offense and terminology. And while Benjamin might have lost a step since his blazing-fast 40-yard time at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, he still has speed to burn.

Sure, Benjamin’s last two seasons in Los Angeles were anything but impressive. But one should remember he’s only three years removed from a 500-plus yard, four-touchdown campaign in L.A. And the two years before were highly productive, too.

It’s possible San Francisco brought in Benjamin to be little more than training camp competition with a dark-horse chance to make the 55-man roster this season. Or, slightly better, Shanahan deploys Benjamin situationally, like he tried doing with Marquise Goodwin last year.

But if Benjamin flashes during training camp, he could wind up assuming a key role on the wide receiver depth chart.