5 key takeaways from 49ers cuts and initial 2021 roster

No. 1: 49ers go with strength over speed at wide receiver

In years prior, Kyle Shanahan may have elected to choose faster, shiftier wide receivers than beat-you-up, physical ones. It’s why former Niners pass-catchers like Trent Taylor, Marquise Goodwin and Dante Pettis had featured roles.

Now, it appears as if Shanahan has changed his philosophy somewhat.

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True, wide receivers like Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel have speed in their favor, not lacking for physicality, though. Even preseason hero Trent Sherfield, whose 6-foot-1 and 219-pound tough-to-tackle frame displays above-average game speed.

Yet three of the Niners’ other depth additions at the position speak to Shanahan preferring size now over the speed element: Mohamed Sanu, Jauan Jennings and Jalen Hurd.

All three are over 6-foot-2, yet none of them are exactly considered burners on the open field. Particularly Jennings. Hurd, too, especially considering Shanahan is gambling on the third-year pro’s ability to stay healthy in order to take advantage of his 6-foot-4 frame despite missing the last two seasons with serious injuries.

Like San Francisco’s youth movement at running back, which came at the expense of Wayne Gallman, the 49ers elected to go with muscle and size instead of speed, ultimately forcing them to demote the smaller, faster Travis Benjamin to the practice squad.

Provocative.