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49ers 90-in-90: Max McCaffrey

Breaking down the 90 players on the 49ers offseason roster in 90 posts (over 90 or so days). Today is wide receiver Max McCaffrey.

The elder McCaffrey, Ed was a 13-year wide receiver with a stint for the San Francisco 49ers along with the Denver Broncos and New York Giants. Now the next generation of McCaffrey’s are heading into football. Christian is currently returning punts and carrying the rock for the Carolina Panthers, Dylan is playing over at Michigan for former 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh and expected to be the quarterback of the future.

Then there’s Max, a wide receiver the 49ers signed after stops at several other teams across the league. McCaffrey entered the NFL in 2016 as an undrafted free agents. He signed with the Oakland Raiders on May 10, 2016. He was waived by Oakland on August 29, 2016 and signed to the Green Bay Packers practice squad on December 20, 2016. On January 21, 2017, McCaffrey was promoted to the Packers active roster and was inactive for the NFC Championship against the Atlanta Falcons.

This past season, Green Bay waived McCaffrey on September 2, 2017. He later signed to the New Orleans Saints practice squad on September 4. On September 12, he was signed to the Jacksonville Jaguars active roster where he appeared in five games and registered one reception for four yards prior to being waived by the team on October 21. He was signed to the Packers practice squad on October 24. The 49ers signed him off the Packers practice squad last December after they placed Victor Bolden Jr. on injured reserve, and he might be back on a practice squad when it’s all over. Given his age, history, and the couple times to get called up to the active roster. McCaffrey’s chances of actually making an impact on a roster are definitely nill.

Basic info

Age: 24
Experience: 0 Accrued seasons. He has been called to the active roster twice, however he has failed to amass six games a season to equal an accrued season.
Height: 6’2
Weight: 205

Cap Status

He is on year two of a two-year deal. His salary will pay $555,000.

What to expect in 2018

McCaffrey has been called to active rosters a couple times and only has one catch and four yards to show for all of it. While he’s not signed to the practice squad this time around with the 49ers, I don’t need to remind you the competition at wide receiver he’s up against. McCaffrey has not been a part of any game plans and with his many years on practice squads and few roster call-ups to net only four yards, there isn’t anything at all to be optimistic about besides him going straight to the practice squad again. It’s going to take a trainwreck for him to make the team. With him being on the wrong side of 24, the 49ers won’t be wanting him for special teams either. Not when it means cutting one of the younger guys and stunting their growth.

Odds of making the roster

McCaffrey is a Preseason Game 4 starter that might not even get to the practice squad. There are younger and better players on the roster to take the spot. In fact, given the position, McCaffrey may not even make it to the preseason as the 49ers may elect to cut him early. This is all being said even with Victor Bolden Jr.’s four-game suspension looming. Even with the loss of one wide receiver, the 49ers would elect to go with Bolden Jr. before they go with McCaffrey.