SF 49ers: 5 most disappointing players from 2020
By Peter Panacy
No. 3: SF 49ers Wide Receiver Trent Taylor
Perhaps injuries are the reason why slot wide receiver Trent Taylor never bounced back from his initially impressive rookie season back in 2017 where he recorded 19 third-down receptions for a first down. He had back issues in 2018, then suffered a season-ending foot injury during training camp in 2019.
2020 was supposed to be that resurgent year with a fully healthy Taylor, only nothing of the sort happened.
Despite some major shortages at the position, particularly early in the year, Taylor never got going and now has a mere 10 receptions for 86 yards on 21 targets. The Niners also made Taylor a regular healthy scratch late in the season, which included him losing out on the one spot where he seemed to have an upper hand: punt returning.
Taylor is a pending free agent in 2021, and there doesn’t appear to be any indication San Francisco will want to bring him back next year, even on what would likely be a team-friendly deal.
For a player who had so much hype surrounding him way back in 2017, it’s a shame Taylor never quite panned out as his trajectory initially suggested.