Risky 49ers prediction leaves new WR off roster but theres a Deebo Samuel wild card

Christian Kirk was supposed to give the San Francisco 49ers another experienced option in a receiving corps already carrying plenty of uncertainty.Instead, he may not even make the team.David Lombardi of the San Francisco Standard projected Kirk outside the 53-man roster, with Mike Evans, De’Zhaun Stribling, Deebo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing making the cut.Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area also left Kirk off his latest projection, favoring impressive undrafted rookie Will Pauling instead.Kirk’s problem is simple: He has barely been available.The 29-year-old has not practiced since straining his calf on the first day of training camp, depriving him of the opportunity to establish himself while younger receivers have taken advantage.Stribling, the No.

33 overall pick, has been one of San Francisco’s biggest camp standouts, and carried that momentum into the preseason opener with seven catches for 62 yards in one half.Pauling has also pushed himself into the conversation, while Watkins has continued to flash the speed and playmaking ability that made him a fourth-round pick last year.Still, cutting Kirk would come with considerable risk.The 49ers have already lost Ricky Pearsall for the season due to knee surgery, while Brandon Aiyuk technically remains under team control but outside the immediate roster picture.That leaves a group heavily dependent on veterans with their own durability questions.Evans remains the biggest name, but the 33-year-old is coming off an injury-marred 2025 season after opening his career with 11 consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns.He has already dealt with a quad strain this summer.Samuel’s return gives Kyle Shanahan one of the league’s most versatile offensive weapons, but his physical style and extensive usage as both a receiver and runner have also contributed to a lengthy injury history.Lombardi noted that Samuel has worked with both the receivers and running backs during camp.

That versatility co...