Trent Taylor might be the favorite to seize coveted spot on 49ers depth chart

The 49ers may be inclined to retain Trent Taylor as their final wide receiver, but it'd be based on his special teams prowess above anything else.

Way back in 2017 and even into 2018, there was no shortage of San Francisco 49ers fans who felt wide receiver Trent Taylor would turn into a hidden-gem of a weapon, someone in the mold of former NFL star Wes Welker: a short-statured player who nevertheless impacted the game in a big way.

After all, Taylor was college football's leading receiver in 2016 at Louisiana Tech, and early indications suggested a great rapport with then-quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

But injuries and underperformance got in the way of Taylor's ascent. Despite a promising 430-yard rookie season in 2017, which still stands as a career-high heading into 2024, the Niners quietly let Taylor walk in free agency after an underwhelming 2020 season.

From there, Taylor spent two years with the Cincinnati Bengals before playing with the Chicago Bears in 2023, almost exclusively seeing time on the field as a punt return specialist.

And that's arguably why San Francisco brought him back on a one-year deal this offseason.

Taylor had 33 returns for Cincy in 2022, netting 340 yards and averaging 10.2 yards per, while his 2023 efforts in Chicago resulted in 23 returns for 188 yards, an average of 8.2.

After the 49ers lost their primary return specialist from the last two years to free agency, Ray-Ray McCloud, the door was open for Taylor to return.

And possibly not just as a training camp invite either.

Can Trent Taylor actually make 49ers' 53-man roster?

The Niners struggled to find an adequate punt returner when McCloud dealt with injuries last season. Then-rookie Ronnie Bell wasn't quite reliable, and there aren't too many other likable options on the 90-man camp roster right now.

While San Francisco has plenty of question marks at wide receiver, highlighted by the ongoing drama surrounding Brandon Aiyuk and a potential trade, the back end of the depth chart remains notably fluid.

Taylor benefits from his prior knowledge of head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense, yes. But that's only part of the reason why NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco labeled Taylor as "looking good" when coming up with his latest 53-man roster projection.

"Taylor has put himself into strong consideration for a roster spot because he’s a reliable target out of the slot and he is the only player on the team who looks comfortable fielding punts," Maiocco wrote.

Considering the team insider has a pretty good pulse on what's taking shape inside the organization, that'd be as good an indication as any that Taylor is likely to stay.

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