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It’s the old NFL next-man-up scenario, and the injury to Jordan Watkins of the San Francisco 49ers provided an opportunity at the receiver position. And that’s where one of two roster hopefuls improved their stock after the loss to the Broncos.
Rookie wide receiver Junior Bergen took a step forward, according to Sports Illustrated. His biggest stride came on special teams, where he had a 28-yard punt return.
“He made a good cut, and there was a guy down there,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “And he made that guy miss and broke their contain. I thought it was a hell of a play. Those are his opportunities. Wish he got more in the game, but that was a hell of a play by him.”
49ers WR Junior Bergen hoping to make a mark
Drafted in the seventh round as the 49ers’ last pick, Bergen will have to work hard to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.
But injuries can open the door and change things. First-stringer Brandon Aiyuk may not return until October from last year’s injury. Starter Jauan Jennings and second-teamers Jacob Cowing and Watkins are all hurt.
So in the current healthy pecking order, Ricky Pearsall is WR1, Demarcus Robinson is WR2, and Bergen is in a mix with Russell Gage Jr., and Terique Owens for the WR3 spot. That’s what injuries can do.
The 49ers might even have to bring in a veteran wide receiver just to get past the early injury woes, according to nbcsportsbayarea.com.
“There are possibilities later, none are guaranteed,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “But there are a lot of things tied to that. Who’s available? How much are they available for? And the situation our team is in, salary-cap-wise, and what we can do.
“We’re looking into everything. We’ll always try to do the best, but you try not to just panic and do something to survive a tough situation at the expense of what would really hurt you later this year and definitely next year.”
Shanahan said the injury to Watkins really hurt.
“I really believed he could’ve helped us early,” Shanahan said. “But he needed to practice to be able to help us. It’s a minor setback for him.
“All these guys have opportunities to make our team and opportunities to help us (in) Week 1. It’s a lot more open than it’s ever been before.”
DT Sebastian Valdez showed out
Buried on the depth chart on the fourth team, things don’t look great for Valdez to earn a 53-man spot. But he did his best to change things against the Broncos.
“I'd say he flashed the most today,” Shanahan said of the rookie undrafted free agent. “Just noticed him out there. He’s been flashing a lot in practice. He’s been a problem in one-on-ones, and it looked like he played the run well today. When our O-Line coach talks about him in practice, that means he's doing some stuff, and it was good to see it carry over to the game today.”
Valdez said he's trying to keep a positive attitude and work hard, according to sfchronicle.com.
“There’s always some doubt,” Valdez said. “There’s always some feelings of being overwhelmed. But there was never a feeling of ‘I don’t belong here.’ I know that I can overcome anything that comes to me. I know that I’m an NFL player at heart. And I know that once I get the chance, and the opportunity, like tonight, I’m going to show out and do what I know I can.”
Sebastian Valdez a good fit for organization
After the game against the Broncos, Valdez said he joined the 49ers because of who they are.
“Their scheme fits me the best,” Valdez said. “The 49ers are known to be very dominant up front. When you look at tape, you look at that team, and you want to be a part of that team. And part of that scheme.”
The 49ers' defense is somewhat of a mystery heading into the 2025 season. The team hit that side of the ball hard in the draft, selecting edge Mykel Williams in the first round, DT Alfred Collins in Round 2, and grabbing both LB Nick Martin and CB Upton Stout in Round 3. Then they added DT CJ West in Round 4. If all of those guys hit in their rookie years, the 49ers could be dominant.
However, Williams and Stout are the only ones listed as starters as of now. The other three are on the second team.
