Why the 49ers Can't Afford to Release Jacob Cowing

49ers WR Jacob Cowing may have saved his roster spot after a big punt return in preseason action vs the 49ers.

Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The 49ers selected Jacob Cowing in the 4th round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Since then the WR has only compiled 80 receiving yards in his NFL career. That lack of production and availability in his first two seasons is why Cowing finds himself on the 2026 roster bubble.

How can he get himself out?

It starts with performances like yesterday. Cowing showed great acceleration turning the corner to speed his way to his first career preseason or regular season punt return TD.

JACOB COWING WITH THE 83-YARD PUNT RETURN TD 🏠

SFvsLAC on @nflnetwork
Stream on @NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/BUV9YE8LyF

— NFL (@NFL) August 21, 2026

Head Coach Kyle Shanahan doesn't need Jacob Cowing to be a top three receiving option to make this team. Just look to last season when San Francisco traded for Skyy Moore exactly one year and one day ago. Moore played in all 17 regular season games and only received 7 targets through those 17 games. Cowing could very well find himself in that similar role this season.

In fact, Cowing already played an identical role Moore the season before.

	Jacob Cowing (2024)	Skyy Moore (2025)
Games	15	17
Punt Returns	28	25
Punt Return Yards	245	291
Yards per Return	8.8	11.6
Targets	6	7
Receptions	4	5
Yards	80	87

Obviously when you look at the graph what stands out most is the difference in the yards per return. But, look, this is a comparision of a rookie Cowing vs. a Year 4 Skyy Moore. Despite Cowing being 1.1 yards per return below average in 2024, I'll take my chances on a more efficient 2026. Consider factors like he's not a rookie anymore and he had a year to watch Moore be one of the better returners in 2025. It would be easy to assume the two sat in meetings together at some point last season and had conversations about returning.

Competition

The first name that comes to mind is Deebo Samuel. Shockenly he has zero career punt returns and it's not built into his contract incentives, only kickoff returns. Okay, what about Jordan Watkins? Just like Deebo, Watkins has zero career punt returns.

Lastly, Christian Kirk hasn't returned a punt since Cowing was in College and more importantly Kirk hasn't been available to practice at all.

Bubble Prediction

Returning punts is Cowing's job to lose. After last night's 83-yard return, you can close the book on that. He won the job and a roster spot.

It's very hard to imagine the 49ers cutting Cowing a former 4th round pick in favor of Christian Kirk, who hasn't practiced and could very easily be stashed on the practice squad since the 49ers will be on the hook of $2.78 million that was guaranteed to Kirk.

Jacob Cowing will make the 53-man roster and will be the punt returner when the 49ers play the Rams in Australia week one.