Amidst their current injury situation, the San Francisco 49ers looked to bring in more bodies at wide receiver ahead of Week 4. Following a tryout, they signed former second-round pick Dante Pettis to the practice squad, making another change to a room that has seen a ton of movement so far.
The 49ers have dealt with injuries to Ricky Pearsall, De’Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson, Christian Kirk, and Mike Evans so far this season, forcing them to sign Khadarel Hodge, Brandin Cooks, and now Pettis
to either their active roster or the practice squad.
It certainly isn’t an ideal situation for San Francisco, but the 49ers are 3-0 and humming on offense regardless. Pettis was one of nine players who worked out for the 49ers on Tuesday, and he comes to San Francisco after spending the 2025 season with the New Orleans Saints.
Pettis played eight games in 2025, catching nine passes for 127 yards. He’ll be a depth fill-in piece for the time being.
The 49ers are expected to have much of their receiver talent back at some point this season, set aside Pearsall, so making a major move at the position may not be their top priority. But there is an intriguing receiver candidate who could be had for cheap: former first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr.
Thomas, drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, has dealt with injury and inconsistency issues through his first three years. Through three games, he has just seven catches for 88 yards, while playing only 42 percent of the team’s offensive snaps, easily a career low.
Thomas had a down sophomore campaign in 2025, catching only 48 passes for 707 yards and two touchdowns, as he posted a catch rate under 53 percent. But he was excellent as a rookie, catching 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns, making the Pro Bowl.
With Thomas’s snaps continuing to dwindle, he could be a trade candidate for the Jaguars, who reportedly listened to offers this offseason. And the 49ers could be a top fit, given their need for receiver talent and desire to stay on the younger side.
The 49ers have needed that field-stretcher with their injuries. That role initially went to Ricky Pearsall, then De’Zhaun Stribling, then Demarcus Robinson, and now Khadarel Hodge. Having some consistency there by trading for Thomas could be a short-term, and maybe even long-term, solution.
The cost to acquire the Jaguars receiver shouldn’t be too high at the moment, given his role is dwindling, but Thomas seems more and more likely to be dealt and fits what the 49ers want as a cost-controlled receiver who can play the role of their injured receivers.
