Head coach Kyle Shanahan gave an update for Deebo Samuel’s hamstring injury, and who may replace him for this week’s game against the Rams.
SANTA CLARA -- Danny Gray has yet to catch a pass for the 49ers, but with Deebo Samuel ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium, the rookie wide receiver finally could get his chance.
Gray’s rookie season was slowed down by a hip injury, until he made his NFL debut in the 49ers' Week 7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi’s Stadium. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and fellow receiver Brandon Aiyuk believe it’s just a matter of time before Gray starts to make an impact on the game.
Gray was on the field for eight offensive snaps and was targeted twice -- once each by Garoppolo and Brock Purdy, but did not connect with his quarterbacks. Now, Gray could see more chances to show what he's capable of.
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SIGN UP HERE “Danny is, all these young guys, the mental capacity for this offense, you got a ways to go when you’re a rookie,” Garoppolo said. “Especially when our core guys have been doing this for however many years together.
“Things keep evolving and growing and it’s the rookie’s job to catch up as quickly as possible. And I think Danny’s doing a good job of that. He gives us some good plays. The dude’s fast as hell. He really is. And there’s a place for that. We just we need to find it.”
Aiyuk had a successful rookie season, but went through his version of growing pains at the start of his second year. After a tough-love conversation with Kyle Shanahan, Aiyuk turned his sophomore season around, and subsequently came into the 2022 training camp a well-prepared pro.
“I think he’s starting to understand what it takes to come out here every single day,” Aiyuk said when the 49ers were training in West Virginia between games in Carolina and Atlanta. “He’s going through the growing pains that every receiver in this offense has gone through.
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“You got to figure it out. You got to go through it, you got to grow through it. They got to get after you sometimes and kind of see for yourself.”
Gray was on the field for all of the 49ers' preseason games and caught four of his nine targets for 124 yards while catching one touchdown. The Southern Methodist University speedster was brought in to stretch the field for the offense -- two of Gray’s four preseason receptions were 20 yards or more from the line of scrimmage.
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There is no doubt about Gray’s potential, but he needs to hone in his attention to detail. During individual drills open to media, Gray has been seen getting coaching before and after drills from wide receivers coach Leonard Hankerson. At times, Gray is asked to perform the drill a second time in order to make sure the mistakes have been corrected.
“In this offense, it’s 11 guys all working as one for the whole thing to go,” Aiyuk said. “Once you start to realize how important every single detail is, and how important it is for you to be in the exact spot, every single play, you get going.
“So, he’s good, he’s in a good spot. He’s looking good, still looking fast. It’s only a matter of time for him.”