49ers WR Battle: Cowing vs. Watkins – Who Wins the Spot?
49ers Roster Crunch: The Race to Australia Explained Simply
The Big Problem: A Super Early Deadline
Imagine you have a huge school project due in two weeks. But—plot twist—you have to leave for a field trip to Australia in 10 days. If you aren’t on the plane, you can’t present your project.
That’s exactly where the San Francisco 49ers are right now.
IMPORTANT: THE TIMELINE
- 10 days until NFL rosters must be cut from 90 players down to 53
- 3 days after that (Sept 2), the team flies to Melbourne, Australia
- Sept 10: Season opener vs. Los Angeles Rams in Australia
- The Rams get to arrive right before the game. The 49ers must have their Week 1 team picked before they get on the plane.
This means the 49ers have to make their final decisions way earlier than every other team.
Four Position Battles to Watch
Here are the four main spots still up for grabs heading into Thursday’s preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers. (A fifth battle—backup quarterback—is paused because the rookie Kurtis Rourke is hurt.)
1. Wide Receiver: Who Catches Passes When Deebo Rests?
The Lock: De’Zhaun Stribling (1st round pick). He’s made the team. His job: play the "slot" (inside receiver) spot that Jauan Jennings used to play.
The Battle: Jacob Cowing vs. Jordan Watkins for the "Z" receiver spot.
ELI5: What is a "Z" Receiver?
Think of the offense like a dance formation.
- X Receiver = Lines up on the line of scrimmage (usually the #1 guy)
- Z Receiver = Lines up off the line (a step back), often goes in motion before the snap
- Slot/F Receiver = Lines up between the offensive line and the X receiver
The 49ers lost their planned Z receiver (Ricky Pearsall) for the year with a knee injury. Deebo Samuel will play some Z, but at age 30, he can’t play every snap. He’s also being used as a "wide back" (lining up in the backfield like a running back). So they need someone else to be the Z when Deebo is resting or playing elsewhere.
| Player | Status | Key Stats/Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Jacob Cowing | Missed all of 2025 (hamstring). Missed last game (hip strain). Just returned to practice looking good—caught two deep passes this weekend. | Also competing for punt returner job. |
| Jordan Watkins | Up and down in practice. Great game vs. Titans: 6 catches, 59 yards (had another big catch called back by penalty). | Also competing for punt returner job. |
| Christian Kirk (Free Agent) | Fading fast. Hurt calf in spring, re-injured it first practice of camp. Coach Kyle Shanahan: "He hasn’t been ready to go… hopefully he can have some better luck." | Unlikely to make Week 1 roster. |
2. Left Guard: The Rookie Experiment
The Job: Protect the quarterback’s blind side (since Brock Purdy is right-handed, the left guard blocks the scariest defenders).
The Contenders: Three guys getting an equal shot:
- Carver Willis (Rookie) — Never played guard in college! Got most 1st-team snaps lately. Growing pains expected.
- Connor Colby
- Robert Jones
Thursday’s Test: Willis will likely start and face the Chargers’ interior defensive line—guys like Teair Tart, Dalvin Tomlinson, Jamaree Caldwell, and Justin Eboigbe (who had 6 sacks last year and is having a great camp).
Bonus Note: Starting right guard Dominick Puni is out (concussion). So Jones and Colby will also get snaps at right guard Thursday.
3. Defensive Tackle: The "Dirty Work" Battle
The Locks (Top 4): Osa Odighizuwa, Alfred Collins, CJ West, Gracen Halton.
The Fight for Spot #5: Three undrafted "underdogs" battling for one spot (teams often keep 5 DTs).
| Player | Body Type | Strength | Weakness |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sebastian Valdez (2nd year) | Shorter, less "quick" | Powerful & relentless. O-linemen hate blocking him. Was on practice squad last year, called up for 2 games (good sign). | Lacks ideal length/speed. |
| James Thompson Jr. (Rookie) | Tall, long arms | Length + strength = bullies smaller linemen. Led DTs with 2 pressures vs. Titans, helped on a sack. | Struggles in run defense (common for tall DTs). |
| Bryson Eason (Rookie) | Short, thick legs (classic "nose tackle" build) | Immovable in run game. "Dirty work" guy teammates love playing next to. | Doesn’t "flash" or make highlight plays as often. |
Thursday = Audition Time: West (concussion) and Halton (ankle) won’t play. Valdez, Thompson, and Eason will get TONS of snaps. Also, the team just signed another undrafted guy, Evan Anderson, to fill out the room.
4. Linebacker: The Musical Chairs Next to Fred & Dre
The Locks:
- Fred Warner (Middle/MIKE) — The captain.
- Dre Greenlaw (Weakside/WILL) — The playmaker.
The Messy Middle: Everyone else is rotating spots.
ELI5: Linebacker Spots & "Nickel Defense"
- Base Defense (3 LBs): MIKE (middle), WILL (weak side), SAM (strong side)
- Nickel Defense (5 DBs, 2 LBs): Used vs. passing teams. One LB comes off the field.
What happened vs. Titans:
- Base: Garret Wallow (MIKE), Jaden Dugger (SAM), Nick Martin (WILL)
- Nickel: Martin came off. Dugger slid over to WILL. Wallow stayed at MIKE.
Other guys getting MIKE reps in practice: Tatum Bethune, Jalen Graham.
The Leader for LB3: Jaden Dugger (5th round rookie). Only had one year of college experience at inside linebacker.
Coach Raheem Morris on Dugger: "I saw a guy that looked like he belonged… great length, range, speed… some learning moments… needs to get off blocks faster… overall, very pleased."
Translation: He’s talented but raw. The coaches like him enough that he’s the favorite to be the 3rd linebacker in Australia.
Summary: What to Watch Thursday Night
- WR Battle: Cowing vs. Watkins — who looks faster, surer-handed, and who returns punts?
- LG Test: Can rookie Carver Willis hold his ground vs. Chargers’ big interior linemen?
- DT Audition: Valdez (power), Thompson (length), Eason (anchor) — who earns the 5th spot?
- LB3: Does Dugger keep looking like he "belongs" with the starters?
The plane to Australia leaves in ~13 days. Every snap Thursday is a resume builder.
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
Why does the Australia trip change everything?
Because the 49ers must submit their 53-man roster before they leave (Sept 2). Other teams have until the day before their Week 1 game. The 49ers lose ~8 days of evaluation time.
What is a "practice squad" and why does Valdez’s call-up matter?
The practice squad is like a "minor league" team (16 players). They practice but don’t play games unless "elevated." Valdez being elevated for 2 games last year means the coaches trusted him in real games—a huge green flag for making the 53 this year.
Why is Deebo Samuel playing "wide back"?
It’s a fancy term for lining up in the backfield (like a RB) but running receiver routes. It confuses defenses. But at 30, he can’t do it and play 70 snaps at WR. Hence the need for Cowing/Watkins.
What happens if Kurtis Rourke (QB3) isn’t healthy by roster cuts?
Adrian Martinez (who’s taking all the 2nd-half snaps Thursday) would likely make the team as QB3. The 49ers can’t carry an injured 3rd QB to Australia—they need someone ready to play if Purdy and the backup get hurt.
Can Christian Kirk still make the team?
Technically yes, but highly unlikely. He’s missed the entire offseason and camp. In the NFL, "availability is the best ability." The roster spot will likely go to a healthy player who’s practiced all August.
Final Thought: This isn’t just a football story—it’s a logistics puzzle. The 49ers are essentially taking their final exam a week early because of a flight to Melbourne. Thursday night at SoFi Stadium is their last big study session.