More than one loss was taken by the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs. All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL and MCL in that game. He will miss the remainder of the 2024 season. Aiyuk’s numbers have been underwhelming this season, but he was still an impactful player. Defenses would game plan around him despite his low numbers. Filling the hole left by Aiyuk will be impossible for the 49ers. However, there is one player who can shrink the hole, and that is 49ers rookie wide receiver Jacob Cowing.
49ers Jacob Cowing can Step up in Brandon Aiyuk’s Absence
Having a rookie be the player who shrinks the hole of an All-Pro initially sounds ridiculous. Wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings would be the first to come to mind. However, their roles will not change. Their workload may increase, but their roles are unique to the 49ers’ offense. Besides, they wouldn’t fit into the role Aiyuk leaves behind anyway. The only player who has the best chance to do that is Cowing. First-round pick Ricky Pearsall is another player who could be viewed to help shrink it. But he has barely practiced with the 49ers due to injuries and an unfortunate shooting incident. It will take some time for Pearsall to be a factor for the 49ers’ offense. Trading for a wide receiver is on the table for the 49ers, but there isn’t anyone out there who can fill that void.
Taking advantage of opportunities
Cowing has been on hand for most of the practices for the 49ers. At this point, he should have a firm grasp of the offense. Look no further than when he had to step in against the Chiefs when Aiyuk exited the game. Cowing was targeted immediately on a screen-play that went for nine yards. He did an excellent job to get the 49ers close to the goal line, but that wasn’t his best play. Cowing gave the 49ers a chance to make it a one-score game early in the fourth quarter. He did so by completely leaving his defender in the dust on a beautiful double-move route. That is his specialty. Cowing would reel in a 41-yard catch to put the 49ers at the Chiefs’ 10-yard line. It is a catch that should’ve been a touchdown if quarterback Brock Purdy had thrown a better ball.
Why he fits into Aiyuk’s role
Cowing was impressive against the Chiefs and showed why he can fit Aiyuk’s role. He is a polished route runner, especially with his releases at the line of scrimmage like Aiyuk. But what he has that Aiyuk doesn’t is amazing speed. He put it on display when he toasted his defender on the 41-yard catch. It is also why head coach Kyle Shanahan dialed up a screen-play for him in the red zone in the last minute of the first half. Cowing has the speed to break one.
“I like how he ran on the screen that we got him,” said Shanahan. “That was the first play out that we missed BA. So, it was nice to get him a screen the first play. I thought he ran it pretty aggressively and I think got nine yards on it. He was ready for the curl pump that we gave him later in the game. But he stepped in and did a good job when he got his opportunities.”
Cowing won’t be a replica of Aiyuk. That isn’t possible. But what he does give the 49ers is the ability to shrink the hole while providing a new element. Don’t doubt he can do it just because he’s a rookie. Cowing has demonstrated in limited action that he can provide a positive impact. One that can boost a 49ers’ offense, reeling for answers.
Main Image: Cary Edmondson – USA Today Sports
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