We're not two days into San Francisco 49ers training camp, and the injury bug is biting already.
Aside from all the screaming and shouting about the likes of Romello Height's potential missing time, though (thankfully later revealed to only be cramp), there was one injury that threatens to linger and caught my eye.
That of wide receiver Christian Kirk.
Kirk was a late free agency signing on reasonably cheap money. At the time, it appeared he was signed to fill the void left by Jauan Jennings—namely, hoping he could provide the same spiky run-blocking and clutch catching that the former UDFA had brought to San Francisco. Kirk's strong end to the season with the Houston Texans suggested this had a better chance than many originally thought.
However, now he's injured, and while there's little detail on the scope of the injury beyond him apparently having a calf strain, we know how these things can linger. Ricky Pearsall's various injuries over the last couple of years are proof of that, while we've also seen injuries derail the careers of Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins.
Ironically, it's the latter who two who could benefit, and in one specific way.
Learning the slot.
2 Niners wide receivers can benefit from Christian Kirk injury
The wide receiver room is incredibly crowded; along with Kirk and the above two players, there's Pearsall himself, plus first-round pick De'Zhaun Stribling, and huge free-agent signing Mike Evans. Add in Demarcus Robinson, and the picture gets murky. It seems likely San Francisco will only keep six wide receivers at an absolute maximum.
That's prompted speculation that Cowing, in particular, might be feeling the heat and possibly having to use his other skills, like punt returning, to keep a spot. However, the answer might be more obvious.
Of all the 49ers wide receivers, Kirk occupies the most peculiar and precarious place in the 49ers thinking—he's likely to be a "slot only" player, reliant on separating himself sufficiently from those who might also hold that role by having a natural hold on the starting spot. That seems a safe bet as we sit here today, but as Kirk misses more time, that becomes less likely. That would then actually make his roster spot slightly less tenable, since he hasn't got the natural ability to move to another spot that the likes of Cowing and, particularly, Watkins have.
So, if I was the two young players closest to the Niners' wide receiver bubble, I'd be walking into meeting rooms and demanding (possibly pleading) to learn the slot role. The reps are there to be taken, and it would only enhance their versatility, which is a great way to keep yourself on the roster.
Of the two, Cowing would seem to be a better fit in the spot, given his speed and shiftiness. Watkins is built more in the style of Evans or Stribling, a.k.a. an "X receiver." That said, if the 49ers wanted to go more power slot and play a larger player there for maximum matchup advantage, it might suit Watkins. The problem is, it might also be an easy way to get Stribling onto the field in his rookie year, too.
Either way, Kirk's injury has thrown an interesting wrinkle into one of the most fascinating camp battles on the roster. We'll all have eyes on who takes his spot in various drills and scrimmages, but perhaps it might also behoove us to keep an eye on who replaces him in preseason games, either in the second half or as a starter, should the injury linger that far.
That's the interesting thing about training camp: Your stock can rise or fall day by day, and your hold on a roster spot can collapse in a moment.
Kirk seems to have put himself in trouble already. Can the two young talents capitalise?
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