The San Francisco 49ers reunited with one of their former second-round draft picks this week, signing wide receiver Dante Pettis to the practice squad as they prepare to face the Denver Broncos in Week 4.
The move comes amid uncertainty surrounding wide receiver Mike Evans, who is dealing with a rib injury he suffered Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
The 49ers' receiving corps has thinned due to injuries this season, with Evans the latest to suffer a setback. The team lost Ricky Pearsall for the season due to an ongoing knee issue. Standout rookie De'Zhaun Stribling and veteran Demarcus Robinson were both lost in the first two weeks of the season and are expected to miss additional time. Christian Kirk has been unavailable since the start of training camp.
The mounting injuries forced the 49ers to add another wide receiver option.
49ers general manager John Lynch joined Bay Area radio station KNBR for his weekly interview on Thursday and discussed the thought process behind bringing Pettis back to San Francisco.
"This week, we did have some injuries," Lynch said. "Even prior to the week, we had a plan to bring in a group of receivers, work them out. The receiving group, during the course of an NFL season, if you come out to practice, receivers run, and they run more than any group. And so you never want to get light at that position because the volume of the amount that they're running during the course of a practice is just going to add up, and it spreads throughout the group. So you always want to keep your numbers high.
"So we knew we had a workout. And I think, with Dante, just like when we drafted him, he's a talented football player. He also brings some value in that he's a punt returner."
Pettis has returned 51 punts for 373 yards and 19 kickoffs for 465 yards during his NFL career.
As for how things initially ended between the 49ers and Pettis, the team insists there are no lingering hard feelings.
"I think a lot of people [believed] there were hard feelings when he left," Lynch continued. "There weren't hard feelings. I think, like [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] said, 'I was coaching him hard, but not hard feelings.' But I think you see this in the NFL. Time happens, and when you throw him out there in a workout, he looks really good.
"We kind of know what he can do. It was the right player for us to sign. So, Dante's back."
If Evans cannot play Sunday against the Broncos, Pettis could be among the options for players the 49ers elevate from the practice squad.
More info on: Mike Evans, Christian Kirk, Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, De'Zhaun Stribling
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