Earlier this offseason, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jordan Watkins seemed like a longshot to make the 53-man roster, thanks largely to him missing the bulk of his rookie year with injuries and in light of the several additions the Niners made during the offseason.
That might still be the second-year pass catcher's fate, but the decision on his roster placement just got murkier with the preseason now closed.
While 2026 rookie receiver De'Zhaun Stribling was handed plenty of praise over San Francisco's first two exhibition games, ultimately leading to head coach Kyle Shanahan allowing him to sit in Thursday night's preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders, one could argue Watkins had the best opportunity to fully seize a roster spot.
Unfortunately, the overall result was anything but conclusive. And with a logjam of B- and C-level receivers vying for one, arguably two of the last spots on the 49ers' wide receiver depth chart, it's almost impossible to see where Watkins winds up.
Jordan Watkins didn't do himself enough favors vs. Raiders to secure a roster spot
Watkins' box score tells a part of the story: four catches for 64 yards. That brought his preseason total to 164 over the three-game period. Considering the rotation and level of talent around him, that's certainly commendable. And he was the most productive wideout for the NIners over those three games.
Yet the inconsistencies and mistakes are there.
Watkins certainly doesn't appear to be a viable option in the return game on special teams, and that could've gone a long way toward ensuring himself a spot, come Week 1. And while the numbers are good, it's painfully obvious the 5-foot-11, 196-pound receiver isn't particularly adept in the blocking game—another helpful asset that would've worked in his favor.
Jordan Watkins getting destroyed by defenders he is trying to block late in the 4th is rough to watch.
— John Chapman (@JL_Chapman) August 28, 2026
As far as being out there in the fourth quarter, that's not necessarily a good sign. Perhaps head coach Kyle Shanahan is still giving Watkins a chance, but it's equally plausible the receiver was merely eating meaningless clock time to prevent other wideouts from suffering some sort of significant injury.
It's hard to say.
Unfortunately for Watkins, the final conclusion is, well... inconclusive. And that won't bode well for his chances, particularly in light of other receivers who seem far closer to carving out niches on the opening 53-man roster.
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