San Francisco 49ers: What to watch for at each position in training camp

Wide Receiver

Who’s Involved: Pierre Garcon, Marquise Goodwin, Jeremy Kerley, Aldrick Robinson, Trent Taylor, Bruce Ellington, DeAndre Smelter, Aaron Burbridge, Victor Bolden, Kendrick Bourne, B.J. Johnson III, DeAndre Carter

What to watch for

Can anyone convince the 49ers to carry a sixth receiver? Free-agent signings Pierre Garcon and Marquise Goodwin are locks, and it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to say the same for Jeremy Kerley, Aldrick Robinson, Trent Taylor.

Kerley was the Niners’ best receiver last season and received an offseason extension, Aldrick Robinson is familiar with Shanahan’s system and came over on a two-year contract and rookie Trent Taylor has already received some comparisons to Wes Welker.

The main problem the 49ers seem to have at receiver is that they have an abundance of slot players, which is bad news for Bruce Ellington and his hopes of making the team. He approaches a contract year with his career having been riddled by injuries to this point.

A better candidate to make the team is DeAndre Smelter, who would offer the 49ers the size they lack at the position.

How it should shake out

Barring monster efforts from Ellington or Smelter, it is difficult to envisage the 49ers carrying more than Kerley and the four receivers brought to the team by John Lynch and Shanahan at the position.