49ers sign Wide Receiver Kevin White
On Thursday morning the 49ers decided to add a second wide receiver in as many days.
No surprise that Kevin White would impress in his workout. He was a former No. 7 pick for a reason.
The wide-receiver core has been hit with injuries, starting with Richie James Jr, Deebo Samuel, Jalen Hurd and, most recently, first-round pick Brandon Aiyuk. The 49ers need more depth because you don’t want to gas guys out running routes non stop.
Hard to say if White will make this team, which is unlikely at this point of the offseason as the team will transition from training camp to prepping for a Week 1 matchup versus the Arizona Cardinals. Kyle Shanahan’s playbook is no walk in the park to learn, and White doesn’t have much time to pick it up.
With the ability to carry six veterans on the practice squad there is no doubt Shanahan will carry a veteran receiver on it. White is 6’2” with 4.35 speed -- he can certainly help out this defense getting ready for guys like D.K. Metcalf and DeAndre Hopkins. Obviously White is no Metcalf or Hopkins, but his size and athletic ability can help this defense prepare for those types of receivers.
If White is healthy and balling out with the second unit and practice squad, he certainly can earn himself a spot on the 53-man roster at some point in the season if an opportunity becomes available.
White is strong and he can block -- White actually put up 23 reps on the bench press during 2015 combine for bench press comparison only George Kittle put up 18 reps.
Fellow veteran wide receivers Tavon Austin and JJ Nelson just got some real competition for that veteran practice squad spot.
