The San Francisco 49ers were looking everywhere for wide receiver help this preseason while both Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk make their way back from injuries, and they found it in the form of Skyy Moore.
Moore hasn't been able to get his career off the ground in Kansas City, struggling to find playing time and to get consistent targets when he does get on the field. He has experienced plenty of team success, including a pair of Super Bowl rings and another trip to the big game, but now he is hoping that he can find some staying power individually after getting traded to the 49ers during the preseason.
Moore has only been in the Bay Area for a few days now, but he is already rubbing off on 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan. The play-calling wizard was already very impressed with Moore after San Francisco's 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers in its final preseason game on Saturday, via Matt Barrows of The Athletic.
“Shanahan said he was impressed with how much Skyy Moore was able to pick up after arriving in Santa Clara Thursday and getting in half a practice,” Barrows wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “Moore admitted he was lost at times, but it was still a promising start for the new guy.”
Moore was targeted a team-high six times on Saturday, but caught just three balls for 19 yards. He also handled return man duties, fielding three punts for a total of 16 yards and taking one kickoff for 26 yards.
There's no question that Moore's explosiveness and ability to make plays after the catch can be a big boost to this 49ers offense, especially with a creative play caller like Shanahan that can get him the ball in advantageous situations. However, his skills as a receiver without the ball could still use some work, and he must fix his problems with drops in order to get a consistent role.
Jennings should be back at some point from his calf injury — and he's hoping that it's with a new contract — while Aiyuk will also be on the field at some point in the middle of the season. The 49ers also have second-year pro Ricky Pearsall, but Demarcus Robinson will miss the start of the season due to a suspension.
As a result, the path is there for Moore to get some early work in the regular season if he continues to pick things up quickly with his new team.
