Despite the San Francisco 49ers’ early injury troubles, training camp has gotten off to a great start. Players who were forced out of action last year are back, Quarterback Brock Purdy looks to be playing at an MVP level, and numerous players have asserted themselves as major future contributors.
With the season-ending injury to Ricky Pearsall and Mike Evans’ soft-tissue troubles, younger wide receivers have had an early opportunity to put themselves on the map. Some youngsters, like De’Zhaun Stribling, have taken full advantage, but not everyone has excelled like the second-round pick.
Most notably, Jordan Watkins has enjoyed a higher volume share alongside Stribling, though his output has been less than desirable. According to The Athletic’s Matt Burrows, Watkins has failed to do what De’Zhaun has done with more passes thrown his way.
There are two guys that get a lot of passes thrown their way. One is Stribling and the other is Jordan Watkins. The difference has been that Stribling has been able to haul in those tough passes across the middle… There’s an arm in there, and you gotta bring that ball in, and Watkins hasn’t been able to do so.
Jordan Watkins is a fringe roster guy at best if latest trend continues
Even before training camp began, Jordan Watkins had done nothing to cement his spot on the roster. After being drafted in the fourth round in the summer of 2025, he was hampered by injuries and caught just two passes in four games. In short, he was a complete nonfactor in a year when the 49ers needed unproven pass catchers to step up in the wake of injuries.
Watkins had a successful tenure at Ole Miss before turning pro. His final year rivaled even Stribling’s finale at the University of Mississippi. However, after two weeks of training camp, it appears as if the two are trending in complete opposite directions.
After failing to make an impact in 2025, Watkins has apparently been doubling down on the notion that he is nothing more than an afterthought in the wide receiver room. Stribling, Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, and DeMarcus Robinson all clearly sit ahead of him on the depth chart, and he could be on his way out if he continues to lose the trust of his quarterback.
August has not been kind to the sophomore. Whatever magic he found at Ole Miss may have left him upon entering the NFL. Now, he is struggling with the finer points of receiving, which does not bode well for his future in a red-and-gold uniform. If he lacks faith in his own ability to catch passes over the middle of the field, it will be hard to convince the coaching staff to put their faith in him when it comes time to make roster cuts.
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