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49ers Place Tavon Austin on I.R. with Knee Injury

Another 49ers wide receiver is out for the season.

SANTA CLARA -- Another 49ers wide receiver is out for the season.

This time it’s Tavon Austin. The 49ers announced they placed him on Injured Reserve Thursday afternoon. Austin is the third receiver the 49ers have placed on I.R. with a knee injury since training camp started. The other two are Jalen Hurd and J.J. Nelson.

The 49ers signed Austin and Nelson -- two speed receivers -- after deep threat Travis Benjamin opted out of the season. And the 49ers signed Benjamin because they traded speedster Marquise Goodwin, who also ended up opting out of the 2020 season.

It seems the 49ers feverishly are searching for a speed receiver with two healthy knees. They have veteran Kevin White, who’s healthy and ran a 4.35 40-yard dash at the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine. But he has just 25 catches and zero touchdowns in his entire career. If the 49ers cut him, his career might end.

Fortunately for the 49ers, they activated wide receiver Richie James Jr. off the Non-Football Injury List on Thursday.

James Jr. ran a 4.48 40 at the 2018 Combine, and averages 19.7 yards per catch for his career, although he has caught just 15 passes in two seasons. James also returns punts and kickoffs for the 49ers -- he’s a key member of their team, and he’s better than Tavon Austin.

If the 49ers want someone better than James, they’ll probably have to make a trade. Austin was the best free-agent receiver available just a few weeks ago.