49ers add veteran wideout Chris Conley to their roster
Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the San Francisco 49ers signed veteran wideout Chris Conley to a one-year deal on Monday. And all of a sudden, second-year wideout Danny Gray's future is quite murky. Gray was a major disappointment during his rookie year, as he managed to get on the field for just 87 offensive snaps that […]
Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the San Francisco 49ers signed veteran wideout Chris Conley to a one-year deal on Monday.
And all of a sudden, second-year wideout Danny Gray's future is quite murky.
Gray was a major disappointment during his rookie year, as he managed to get on the field for just 87 offensive snaps that resulted in a measly 10-yard catch on seven targets. He was also a healthy scratch on more than one occasion.
Gray, a third-round pick in 2022, has elite speed and that's easily his most promising trait, but he's also a very raw player. He has a long way to go before he can start logging quality snaps in the NFL.
Conley, on the other hand, is a limited veteran, but he's shown he is more than capable of playing in the NFL. The key with him, however, is his run blocking. The former second-round pick is a solid blocker, which is obviously big for the 49ers offense.
It's really hard to see where Gray currently fits in on the depth chart. The 49ers have their top-3 wideouts in Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Jauan Jennings. Then, there's Ray-Ray McCloud as a returner, Conley, and three other receivers.
The 49ers are also very interested in the tight end position when it comes to the 2023 NFL Draft. They're going to carry three quarterbacks in 2023, so there's a good chance they only carry five receivers once you factor in the QBs and the interest in tight ends.
It's safe to assume Conley slots in over Gray at this point.
There's obviously a long way to go, but right now, Danny Gray has a big hill to climb when it comes to making the 49ers roster.
