49ers training camp: 4 players facing uphill battle in 2021
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers Wide Receiver Trent Sherfield
Unlike the 49ers offensive line, which essentially has its starters locked into place, the wide receiver depth chart remains wide open behind the two starters, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, with voids open for the No. 3 role in the slot and a potential vertical field-stretching threat to be used situationally.
As of now, the two favorites to emerge as the slot option are Jauan Jennings and Mohamed Sanu, and both could feasibly make the roster.
That probably pushes one of the Niners’ free-agent pickups from the offseason, Trent Sherfield, onto the bubble a bit.
Sherfield, who spent the bulk of his time with the Arizona Cardinals on special teams the last three years, at least has that working for him, as special teams prowess is important for reserve players. And at 6-foot-1 and 219 pounds, he has the build as a quality possession receiver.
Yet Jennings and Sanu are essentially separating themselves as that option.
It would be one thing if Sherfield had that blazing-fast speed to be used as a downfield threat in gadget-type situations. And while a 4.45 40-time at his 2018 pro day isn’t slow, it’s not quite at the level at which one would hope for a legitimate vertical threat.
That could make Sherfield lose out on a roster spot to other faster players like Richie James and/or Travis Benjamin.