The 49ers are shorthanded at the moment with respect to their depth receivers, and an addition is being made as a result. Anthony Miller has agreed to a deal in San Francisco, reports Jordan Schultz of the Score (Twitter link). 
Miller flashed potential during his three seasons with the Bears, particularly in 2019. That year, he posted 52 catches for 656 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but he found himself being dealt to Houston ahead of the 2021 campaign. The former second-rounder soon found himself in Pittsburgh, where he made a single appearance.
A shoulder injury left Miller sidelined for the entire 2022 season, and the Steelers released him this past June. To no surprise, the former second-rounder has found himself on the open market since then as teams have looked elsewhere for complimentary pass-catching options. San Francisco’s WR depth chart is headlined by Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, but a depth spot could be available for Miller at least to start the regular season.
2022 third-rounder Danny Gray is dealing with a right SC joint sprain in his shoulder, head coach Kyle Shanahan said on the weekend (Twitter link via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). A firm timetable for Gray’s return is not in place, but he is likely to miss time at the start of the year. He made only a single catch as a rookie despite playing 10 games, and the presence of Samuel, Ayiuk, Jauan Jennings, Ray-Ray McCloud and Ronnie Bell could leave Gray with a difficult path to signficant playing time upon his return.
It could also make it difficult for Miller, 28, to carve out a role presuming he survives final roster cuts next week. This deal will nevertheless allow him another chance to find a permanent home in the NFL, and prove that he has recovered in full from last year’s injury.
In Chicago, he was known as Anthony “off the hands of” Miller
I don’t recall any one in Chicago calling him that.
San Francisco’s pre-season games have shown their roster has no depth. Every other team I have watched has shown some second or third teamers that flash, but San Francisco’s look overmatched.
That’s the price you have to pay to remain consistently competitive, and a championship contender for the past handful or so years.
It remains very difficult to build and maintain any quality depth, because teams are consistently trying to get players off your roster, and they’re willing to pay more than a contending team can afford to get those depth players..
Plus, there are only so many reclamation projects you can sign for cheap each year, that are going to work out.
That’s why the NFL has it this way. It isn’t built for teams to sustain long-term successful runs. The NFL is built for parody.
…Anyways, In order to combat this and build depth along their expensive defensive front, the 49ers have been relying on Coach Kocurek and his ability to work with and get the most out of defensive lineman who were former high draft picks. He’s been able to turn a few cast-offs into quality starters and depth pieces recently like Charles Omenihu, Arden Key, Kerry Hyder, Samson Ebukam, Jordan Willis, etc., and he’ll have to try again this year mainly starting with Clelin Ferrell and a few others.
Still though, they were able to build an excellent amount of cheap depth along their front seven by coaching up Al-Shaair as well, who left in free agency to the Titans, but the vast majority of those players ended up signing multi-year deals elsewhere that the 49ers couldn’t afford to match.
Each year, if you’re losing three to four solid depth pieces and rotational starters, it is very difficult to replace those players without having the cap space to also fill other glaring holes on your roster as well.
It isn’t just depth pieces that teams will overpay for either, as well saw with RT Mike McGlinchey, teams will overpay to get a solid starter from a winning program too.
Year after year a little more and a little more of your depth is taken away by other teams, and unless you’re able to hit on the majority of your draft picks and/or UDFA signings then your team is going to eventually get more and more top heavy as the years go along.
I think the 49ers have done pretty well in the draft. Although, the weird part is that they’ve actually done alot better in the later rounds than they have in the earlier rounds. So, most of the 3rd Round mistakes they’ve made, they’ve easily been able to make up for those by hitting on seemingly countless 5th Round picks.
The funny part is it’s almost like 49ers’ fans would much rather the 49ers acquire an extra 5th Round pick than say a 2nd or 3rd Round pick, because of the 49ers crazy success splits between the two rounds.
Anyways, I think the 49ers are fine, they’re a little thin around the edges, but if they can stay healthy, then they’ll be title contenders yet again.
Although, that’s been their biggest issue has been being abke to stay healthy. That’s primarily where the 49ers have been able to shine is overcoming injuries due to their excellent depth, so they could certainly run into some issues this season, if the injury bug hits them hard in certain position groups.
Personally, I didn’t care too much about the Raiders game. It was completely obvious that one team was trying very hard to win, while the other team was moreso going through the motions with their backups using a very vanilla playsheet and overall gameplan as a whole.
Their last game looked a bit better, and they’re still without quite a few key guys, so I think they’ll have things rolling by the start of the season.
Once they get Bosa signed and back into the fold, and they get some of their key guys healthy and playing, it’ll be a different story.
It is the preseason guys, relax. The 0-16 Lions once went undefeated in the preseason…lol It means little to nothing, it’s all about context and perspective, and the majority of the time we have no clue what the coaches are truly trying to accomplish.
Or parity, perhaps? Goodyear, Goodrich?
High, I’m confused. First drive, no Williams, Kittle, McCaffrey. FG. Backups, and backups to backups, and backups to backups to backups, score 18 and lead comeback to win. Did you miss the 4th qtr? I guess ur username explains some things.
I think alot of 49ers fans are just spoiled.
They don’t care who is or isn’t playing, they fully expect the 49ers primary 2nd teamers to beat up on a team’s mixture of their starters and backups, and they expect the 49ers 3rd & 4th stringers to beat up on a team’s lineup made up of 2nd & 3rd string guys.
Don’t get me wrong, this offseason hasn’t exactly been an outright W for the 49ers due to injuries, the glaring lack of proven depth on the OL, the question marks about their EDGE depth, and due to some lackluster play by two players that we were supposed to count on to be pivotal contributors at the Nickel position and as their Kicker.
Even still though, I think Moody can definitely turn it around, and if Oliver isn’t able to acclimate himself to the defense, then they have a quality backup plan in place. When the Nickel is on the field, they’ll slide Lenoir down to play in the slot, and then Womack will likely come in to take his place as their other boundary corner opposite of C.Ward.
Ideally, you’d hope Oliver, especially with his size, can figure things out, but I trust Kyle and Wilks to get the job done one way or the other.
Personally, I just cannot wait to see Bosa, Big Trent, Kittle, Deebo, Warner, Hufanga, Armstead, Hargrave, Aiyuk, Juice, Purdy, and CMC ALL back on the field healthy and ready to go!
I think you mean there is a big drop from the starters to the 5th/6th? And yes. But the Niners have hardly played any starters. Where as a lot more teams have played their starters much longer. I think it’s wise to use your preseason games to make sure youre getting the cut downs right.
The link goes to the wrong Anthony Miller