4 storylines to watch after 49ers wrapped up mandatory minicamp

The 49ers finished their two-day mandatory minicamp on Wednesday, and you’ll want to keep an eye out for these following storylines until training camp.

The San Francisco 49ers have already had an eventful two days of mandatory minicamp.

Of course, the biggest breakdown was the fact All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel showed up, somewhat ending his standoff with the organization amid contract-extension talks. And while it might be some time before Samuel actually partakes in on-field team practices, at least having him back at the facility is a good sign that things are progressing in the right direction.

Getting other standouts like All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams and Pro Bowl EDGE Nick Bosa back and practicing was also a good development, too.

Again, mandatory minicamp didn’t feature tackling, pads and physical contact, so it’s hard to truly gauge just how players and units are doing. Yet there are some notable takeaways already, and there are surely some things to watch after the final practice of this offseason session before training camp kicks off next month.

Let’s take a look at specifically what.

49ers storyline No. 4: Which wide receivers begin to separate?

Samuel probably won’t partake in team drills until a new contract is received, and the Niners have already said they’re likely to rest their Round 3 pick from the NFL Draft, wide receiver Danny Gray, who’s nursing a hamstring injury.

That latter piece is something to monitor, but it also opens up the door for some other depth wideouts to increase their roles and chances of making the 53-man roster.

Third-year pro Jauan Jennings was notable, both during organized team activities and during the first two days of minicamp. His roster spot isn’t in jeopardy, but the kind of role head coach Kyle Shanahan assigns him this season is yet to be determined.

However, with Samuel and Gray not partaking in practices, minicamp might have been the perfect opportunity for someone like Ray-Ray McCloud to improve his stock or a fringe wideout like Malik Turner or Marcus Johnson to carve out a niche role, possibly securing one of perhaps two spots that are still up for grabs on the wide receiver regular-season depth chart.