A season filled with injuries and other disappointments, Jacob Cowing’s debut preseason was anything but perfect.
Despite this setback, the youthful wide receiver managed to secure a spot in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s roster for the 2024 NFL season.
Well, that’s what Shanahan said to Greg Papa when he was questioned about San Francisco’s No. 135 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft on NBC Sports Bay Area’s “49ers Game Plan.”
Shanahan informed Papa, “He had a rough start, hurting his hamstring in OTAs and then redoing it in training camp.” And then doing it once again. I don’t think he injured his hamstring twice, but he experienced another setback immediately after returning.
The quick wide receiver had a strong preseason, particularly in San Francisco’s season-ending game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Cowing returned punts with assurance, hauling out three for 19 yards for an average of 6.3 yards per return, and caught all three of his targets for 39 yards and a touchdown.
Cowing will probably have plenty of chances to continue testing his speed and agility on punt-return duty throughout the regular season after recording a 4.38 40-yard sprint at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine and showcasing his ability to return with confidence during the preseason.
Shanahan continued, “It took him a while to get in, and we needed to see him in games because, as a rookie, he wasn’t getting all of those reps in practices and was rusty.” However, after seeing those games, it resembled the man we had seen on tape. When it comes to handling the ball, he excels. He plays a little guy extremely physically. It was clear how fast it was.
The fact that the game wasn’t too huge for him is what’s really awesome. He appeared at ease both with our offense and with the punt returns.
Just a few days remain until San Francisco’s 2024 NFL regular-season opening against the New York Jets, so it’s probable that Cowing will have the chance to fully move past his first preseason experience, which didn’t start out well but had an unforgettable conclusion.
“He’s been excellent,” Shanahan declared. All we’re aiming to do is increase his reps and get him used to everything. He does, however, belong here, and we will be bringing him along every week. He is prepared to leave.
