The 49ers Sign Veteran Wide Receiver who Knows Their Offensive System

That's the best you can say about this guy.

Jul 27, 2022; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Malik Turner (17) stretches during warm ups at the SAP Performance Facility near Levi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-Imagn Images | Stan Szeto-Imagn Images

The 49ers are desperate for bodies at the wide receiver position.

They have a joint practice Thursday in Henderson, Nevada against the Las Vegas Raiders, and they barely will have enough players to get through the session. That's why the 49ers just signed veteran wide receiver Malik Turner for the third time since 2022. They need a wide receiver who can practice immediately, which means they need one who knows the system, or at least has been exposed to it, and Turner qualifies.

What to know about Malik Turner

Aug 25, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Isaac Yiadom (20) tackles San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Malik Turner (17) during the second half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Turner is 29 and he hasn't appeared in a regular season NFL game since 2022, when he played for the 49ers. That season, he happeared in three games, played 50 snaps on special teams and just one snap on offense.

In 2024, the 49ers re-signed him during training camp, then eventually placed him on their practice squad. This year, he signed with the Michigan Panthers of the UFL, and set a UFL record by gaining 168 receiving yards and scoring three touchdowns in a game. Now Turner is back for his third stint with the 49ers.

Turner almost certainly is just a camp body who's here to help the 49ers get through the next week or two. If he's lucky, he'll get signed to the practice squad. If he's really really lucky, he'll make the 53-man roster, but that outcome would require lots of wide receivers who are better than Turner going down due to injury.

Injury issues at wide receiver

Aug 9, 2025; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Isaiah Hodgins (18) makes a reception while covered by Denver Broncos cornerback Kris Abrams–Draine (31) in the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

The 49ers actually are quite deep at wide receiver, it's just that most of them are injured right now. Brandon Aiyuk is still recovering from knee surgery, Jauan Jennings has a calf injury and also seems to be holding in for a new contract and rookie Jordan Watkins has a high-ankle sprain. None of them will practice or play against the Raiders this week. Which means that veterans such as Robbie Chosen and Russell Gage will get lots of reps.

And so will Turner. They need him to run as many routes as possible this week so that other players on the team don't get overworked and injured. He probably won't take any reps with the starters, but he could get lots of playing time in the second half of this Saturday's preseason game. That's when the 49ers will want to sit and protect their starters and any players they might need during the season.

Go get 'em, Malik.