49ers roster: Malik Turner may emerge as Niners’ final wide receiver

The 49ers don’t have too many opening at wide receiver entering 2022, but Malik Turner might have shown enough to fully round out the depth chart.

It’s not too hard to figure out the first five wide receivers the San Francisco 49ers will keep on their regular-season roster heading into 2022.

For starters, an easy one: All-Pro Deebo Samuel, who appears closer to finally putting his offseason trade request behind him. After Samuel, the Niners will look to get more impressive follow-up campaigns from fellow wideouts like Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings.

Behind them, return specialist Ray-Ray McCloud and third-round NFL Draft choice Danny Gray comprise the rest of the group.

Assuming head coach Kyle Shanahan keeps six wide receivers on the 53-man roster, there won’t be much room for error with regards to another free-agent pickup, Malik Turner, falling behind in the competition during training camp and the preseason.

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Generated 7/24/2022.

Perennially a fringe player after joining the Seattle Seahawks in 2018 as an undrafted free agent out of Illinois, the 26-year-old Turner had some modest moments with the Dallas Cowboys a year ago before signing a one-year deal to join San Francisco earlier this offseason.

However, that was before the 49ers used a draft pick on Gray, and grabbing Turner was in tandem with a number of other wide receiver transactions that make an awfully crowded depth chart.

Should Turner wind up grabbing that final spot, he’ll have to separate himself from the pack.

Here’s how.

Why Malik Turner impresses 49ers during training camp

Both Gray and McCloud have speed that could translate into them being deep threats. However, one shouldn’t overlook the fact Turner has some speed of his own, too, which bodes well in tandem with his 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame.

This was on display during organized team activities, in which Sports Illustrated’s Gran Cohn described how Turner made a positive impact on one particular play:

"[Turner] made the longest catch of the day — a 60-yard touchdown. On that play, he beat cornerback Hadar Kollman and safety George Odum. If Turner continues to play like this throughout the offseason, he absolutely will make the team."

Getting on Shanahan’s good side early is a positive sign, and Turner also boasting some hefty experience as a gunner on special teams works in his favor, too.

Why Malik Turner doesn’t quite cut it with 49ers

Aside from the fact the Niners have a large number of depth receivers, Turner hasn’t exactly done much to separate himself despite enjoying far better quarterbacking play with both Seattle and Dallas over his career.

Granted, the Seahawks had wide receivers D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett above him on the depth chart, while the Cowboys had Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb serving as better options.

Read More: 49ers depth chart: Predicting each wide receiver’s role in 2022

However, with Aiyuk and Samuel commanding more attention, it’s just as possible Turner is little more than a back-end-of-the-roster option.

Yes, a roster spot would be nice, but it’s not like we’re talking about a hidden gem here.

Chances Malik Turner makes 49ers’ 53-man roster in 2022

Turner’s one-year contract includes a sizable $300,000 in guaranteed money of the total $1.11 million he’s scheduled to make, per Over the Cap.

In that regard, he stands a good chance of hanging around, but there’s going to be some pretty stiff competition nonetheless.

Vying for that sixth and final spot on the depth chart are plenty of other receivers who could challenge Turner for a job, and they include KeeSean Johnson, Marcus Johnson, Austin Mack, Taysir Mack and Tay Martin, the latter two being undrafted rookies.

While Turner might have a slight edge over that group, based on the most guaranteed money out of the bunch, he’ll nevertheless have to showcase his worth during camp and preseason games, also needing to prove value on special teams, too.

No means guaranteed to hang around, Turner still likely winds up being the early favorite here, even if a roster spot won’t relegate him into a bona fide receiving threat this season.