49ers training camp: How these 5 fringe players make 53-man roster
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: Tavon Austin secures 49ers’ primary return role
Once the Niners decided they’d start wide receiver Richie James on the non-football injury list to start the regular season, they all but opened up the competition for both kick- and punt-return specialist roles.
A number of candidates are in the mix, including third-year wide receiver Dante Pettis, slot receiver Trent Taylor and even the rookie, Brandon Aiyuk. Given the multitude of injuries Kyle Shanahan has seen at the position, however, it wouldn’t be surprising if the head coach wanted to save those names for bigger roles on offense.
That opens up the door for another fringe player on San Francisco’s depth chart, recently signed wide receiver Tavon Austin.
Austin, the St. Louis Rams’ top pick from the 2013 NFL Draft, hasn’t quite panned out as a top-name offensive weapon at the NFL level. But he has found success as a returner, both for the Rams and, more recently, the Dallas Cowboys. His career punt-return average is a respectable 7.9 yards per attempt.
Remember, the 49ers offense averaged a starting field position last year on their own 32.1-yard line, which ranked third best in the league.
Getting someone like Austin to keep that stat towards the top could be more meaningful than initially thought.