The San Francisco 49ers offense had a major speed problem in 2025. No player who hit the gridiron had the ability to stretch the field, vertically or horizontally, and the offense contracted and ground to a halt. The Niners knew they needed to add to their passing attack to compete in the arms race that the rest of the NFC West seemed to supercharge.
Yet, the 49ers did not necessarily add more speed to their offense.
Though Mike Evans is a bona-fide superstar, a walking Hall of Famer, his age has sapped away his straight-line speed. The same remains for Christian Kirk. The Niners infused speed via second-round draft pick De'Zhaun Stribling, but that would be about it.
Luckily for the 49ers, they have a burner lurking on their roster who turned heads during OTAs: Jacob Cowing.
Cowing missed basically all of the 2025 NFL season due to injuries, making this essentially his sophomore season in the NFL.
And it just so happens that the sophomore might be the exact player San Francisco needs right now.
Cowing is blazing fast, evidenced by his 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine and his performance his rookie year. But he matches that speed with quickness to boost, providing the offense an element of fluidity that had been missing last year. Though some may think Stribling could come onto the stage and light up the offense immediately, the 49ers' approach to wide receivers (for better or for worse) often squarely lands them in Kyle Shanahan's doghouse as he waits for the players to adapt to the precision and physicality required to play.
That leaves an opportunity for Cowing.
Even beyond offense, Cowing currently leads the pack to be the punt returner, a position he handled although did not excel in as a rookie. But a year of maturation, plus those physical gifts mentioned before, equal potential upside at special teams, something the Niners need to maintain heading into the year.
Put it all together, and Cowing seems to be the answer to San Francisco's prime offensive problem. Though injuries will remain a concern, and his diminutive size could cap his total impact, Cowing, even as a rotational player, could easily become an unsung hero for the 49ers.
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