49ers news: 4 positions fully up for grabs entering 2021

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Wide receiver Richie James #13 of the San Francisco 49ers (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /

49ers Position Battle No. 1: Third Wide Receiver

It was quite odd the 49ers didn’t draft a wide receiver this year, ending an 18-year streak in spite of the fact they needed to fill a crucial No. 3 void on the roster in the wake of Kendrick Bourne leaving in free agency for the New England Patriots.

Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel are locked in as the top two options, and that’s fine, provided they stay healthy.

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Yet that overlooked-but-critical No. 3 pass-catching target remains an open-ended question. True, San Francisco has a number of bodies who could potentially compete for the role. Richie James is in the mix. So is the oft-injured Jalen Hurd, who could potentially make a splash if he’s finally able to stay healthy. Veterans like Mohamed Sanu and Trent Sherfield are also options, while field-stretching players like Travis Benjamin shouldn’t be overlooked either.

All said, though, none of these names should inspire a ton of confidence for the 49ers depth chart.

It’ll be interesting to see which players among the backups wind up separating themselves during OTAs, training camp and the preseason. Right now, it’s hard to identify any favorites or players who have a better chance than others.

And unless the Niners bring in some better proven options, it’s likely going to be a wide-open competition at this position between now and Week 1.

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