49ers Training Camp: Danny Gray in perilous position entering second year
With the number of playmakers they have on offense, it is tough ask for any young receiver to make a significant impact for the 49ers. That being said, the Niners probably expected a fair bit more from Danny Gray than the single catch for 10 yards he finished his rookie year with after San Francisco […]
With the number of playmakers they have on offense, it is tough ask for any young receiver to make a significant impact for the 49ers.
That being said, the Niners probably expected a fair bit more from Danny Gray than the single catch for 10 yards he finished his rookie year with after San Francisco selected him in the third round.
Gray, behind Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings on the depth chart, was always facing an uphill battle for snaps in his first year, that climb exacerbated by tight end George Kittle's prominence in the passing game and the arrival of Christian McCaffrey giving San Francisco the NFL's most dynamic dual-threat at running back.
But Gray boasts a valuable trait the 49ers have largely lacked during Kyle Shanahan's time as head coach, and at least since Marquise Goodwin left the team in 2020, the speed to be a true deep threat.
He never provided the long ball upside as a rookie, with the Niners instead utilizing Ray-Ray McCloud as their primary option on shot plays.
Gray's role did not expand when Deebo Samuel was off the field through injury, with Jennings and McCloud clearly ahead of him in the pecking order and making enough of an impact to suggest the former SMU receiver will have quite a gap to make up during training camp to have a hope of being more involved in year two.
Jennings continued to be a third-down stud for the Niners, while McCloud averaged over 17 yards per reception on his 14 catches, scored a 78-yard rushing touchdown and served as San Francisco's return man.
But entering camp, Gray also has to be concerned with who is behind him on the depth chart, the 49ers having drafted another receiver in this year's seventh round who has a skill set to threaten his place on the roster.
San Francisco selected Ronnie Bell out of Michigan with their penultimate pick of the draft. Typically seventh-rounders face a tough fight to even make a roster, but Bell is in advantageous position because of his fit as an archetypal Shanahan receiver.
Bell brings impressive toughness to the position. He attacks the ball in the air and shows determination in fighting for yardage after the catch, offering big-play upside despite not possessing the speed of Gray. As a route-runner, he does an impressive job of separating on routes working back to the football that are heavily reliant on the timing between quarterback and receiver.
All passing games are dependent on timing, but none more so in the NFL than a Shanahan offense that gets a tremendous amount of production on short to intermediate throws that afford opportunities to receivers to pick up yardage after the catch. It's an attack in which Bell could excel if given a chance.
Shanahan openly said he admired Gray's toughness after making the decision to select him last year. However, Gray found himself out in the cold in year one, afforded precious few chances to show his proficiency as a home-run hitter with the ball in his hands or as an option on downfield shot plays.
With Jennings and McCloud having shone in tertiary roles in the passing game last year and Bell lurking behind him as an excellent fit for the offense, Gray is in a similar position to his fellow third-round pick from last year, running back Tryion Davis-Price, in entering camp with his roster spot under threat.
Gray was an afterthought last season. It would greatly behove him to stand out in camp this year and prove he can have a tangible impact on the passing game.
Jerry Rice explains why Deebo Samuel is set for bounce-back year
The greatest receiver ever is expecting a rebound.
Featured Image Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
