The San Francisco 49ers officially wrapped up their organized team activities (OTAs) on Thursday, marking the final stop before next week's mandatory minicamp. Even though training camp and the preseason are still far away over the horizon, 49ers fans finally have a better sense of how next season's 53-man roster is shaping up.
Although the 49ers' lineup isn't too far away from being finalized, there's still time to sign reinforcements. Whether it's to add depth in case of an injury or to provide extra competition to a certain position, adding another veteran name or two to start June is never a bad thing.
49ers Sign WR Malik Knowles to End OTAs
Interestingly enough, San Francisco took the dying days of OTAs as an opportunity to flesh out its wide receiver room.
On Tuesday night, NBC Sports' Matt Maiocco reported that the 49ers have signed wideout Malik Knowles to a one-year contract. The former Kansas State playmaker went undrafted in the 2023 NFL draft before spending the last two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers.
A former two-time All-Big 12 WR, Knowles showed a decent amount of upside during his time with the Wildcats. The Lynwood, CA native converted 127 catches into 1,867 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns in 51 outings while also contributing on special teams, returning 61 kicks for 1,691 yards and another trio of TDs.
Despite his versatility, Knowles has yet to make his NFL regular-season debut. He made two appearances with the Vikings last summer, catching his lone target for a one-yard TD while also averaging 21.5 return yards on a pair of kickoffs. With a lack of proven results, he'll need a strong showing throughout 49ers practices if he wants more opportunities in his future.
Outside of Brandon Aiyuk, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings, the 49ers' WR depth chart is open for movement. A strong showing during next week's mandatory minicamp could vault Knowles into the mix, or at least keep him in consideration for preseason opportunities.
Either way, San Francisco fans will know what the future holds for the ex-Kansas State WR sooner rather than later.