Trent Taylor no longer profiles as a player the 49ers plan to bring off IR. The third-year wide receiver underwent a second foot surgery, and Kyle Shanahan said (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, on Twitter) he does not expect him to play this season.
The 49ers placed Taylor on IR in September, and he had surgery for a Jones fracture then. Shanahan said complications from it resulted in a Taylor return likely being tabled until 2020. Taylor has since undergone another procedure. An infection delayed Taylor’s rehab, per Maiocco.
Both Taylor and rookie Jalen Hurd reside on IR, and Shanahan views the latter as a possibility to return. While Taylor would have been able to come back for the 49ers’ Week 13 game, Hurd cannot return until Week 14. Hurd suffered a stress reaction in his back; the third-round rookie can return to practice next week.
San Francisco added Hurd and Deebo Samuel to its receiver mix this offseason and has seen trade acquisition Emmanuel Sanders produce immediately. Sanders is a free agent at season’s end. Taylor would stand to be back in the 49ers’ picture next season, with the former fifth-round pick having caught 69 passes for 645 yards from 2017-18.