The San Francisco 49ers have gone to extensive lengths to revamp what originally was an underwhelming wide receiver group. They got great production out of Pierre Garçon before his injury, Marquise Goodwin, Trent Taylor, and Kendrick Bourne. They also drafted Dante Pettis and Richie James in the second and seventh round 2018 NFL Draft respectively. This, along with some returning players like Aaron Burbridge leaves a lot of mouths to feed, and a huge competition for some backend roster spots.
Steven Dunbar comes as an undrafted free agent from Houston with some nice size and a good catch radius. He brings some interesting abilities to the wide receiver group, but he’s got an uphill climb. James may have Dunbar beat in the speed department, but Dunbar has potential to be a filthy redzone target.
Basic info
Age: 22
Experience: Rookie season
Height: 6’3
Weight: 202 pounds
Cap Status
He is on year one of his three-year UDFA deal. His salary will pay $480,000.
What to expect in 2018
The 49ers wide receiver group has been much improved with some veterans potentially being out of a job when the time comes to cut down to the 53-man. Dunbar brings some good size and developmental ability to the roster, but that last roster spot is going to be a fight between him and Richie James. There’s going to be a few good plays by him in the preseason but there just isn’t enough with this roster for him to be issued a game-day uniform.
Odds of making the roster
Locks for the wide receiver roster are Garçon, Goodwin, Pettis, and Taylor. That’s four names already and the 49ers only kept six wide receivers to start the season last year. That leaves two spots to Bourne, James, Dunbar, Victor Bolden Jr. and others. Bourne has shown some nice things at OTAs already, and I’d put my money on him getting on the squad, that leaves one roster spot between a few talented wide receivers. Dunbar is an excellent developmental prospect, but he’s not going to be contributing on game day in 2018.