49ers open OTAs looking for play-making receivers, defensive backs

SANTA CLARA – Aside from an influx of new talent, there’s an obvious reason Brock Purdy is “really excited” about the 49ers’ corps of wide receivers.

“Everyone is healthy and good,” Purdy said at last week’s Dwight Clark Legacy Series in San Jose. “We have to keep it going and keep stacking days.”

Healthy? That’s a novel concept for a franchise dogged by injuries and an electrical substation conspiracy theories.

The 49ers’ offseason program now enters Phase 3 with organized team activities, pitting coach Kyle Shanahan’s veteran offense against new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris’ still-suspect unit.

OTAs start Wednesday through Friday, followed by three more sessions next week, all part of their voluntary offseason program that began April 20. The mandatory minicamp is set for June 9 and 10, two months before the regular-season opener in Melbourne, Australia, against the Los Angeles Rams.

Here is what to be on the lookout for at OTAs:

1. RECEIVER PIZAZZ

OTAs are essentially a passing camp and that offers the media’s first glimpse this offseason of a unit now headlined by Bucs all-time leader Mike Evans, with new additions in veteran Christian Kirk and second-round pick De’Zhaun Stribling.

A year ago, Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins looked on the verge of breakout seasons. Then came injuries and inactive designations.

The 49ers need to find playmakers who can break away in the open field or go deep. That will open up an offense that struggled to run the ball last season and really struggled to run for big gains against stacked fronts.

2. DEFENSIVE FRONT

Whether or not starting defensive ends Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams surface amid their ACL comebacks, the supporting cast is a bigger issue along the defensive front. Specifically, newcomers will be getting coached up hard from Day 1 by defensive line coach Kris Kocurek.

Defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa, acquired in a trade from Dallas, is likely the marquee addition, but other first impressions will come from former Bengals reserve Cameron Sample and draft picks Romello Height and Gracen Halton. Time now to forge a united front that can make life tough for NFC West superiors in Seattle and Los Angeles.

3. OFFENSIVE LINE BONDING

OTAs won’t reveal who fills the offensive line’s only vacant starting spot, at left guard. That competition will heat up in training camp once live contact is allowed. Robert Jones and perhaps Brett Toth get early reps as the veteran newcomers, but 2025 seventh-rounder Connor Colby and 2026 fourth-rounder Carver Willis will surface, too.

Toth also should get reps at center behind incumbent starter Jake Brendel, who sat with Purdy at Sunday’s San Francisco Giants game.

4. HOT BOYZZ REUNITE

Dre Greenlaw was a rookie in 2019 when he, Fred Warner and Kwon Alexander spiced up a linebacker unit dubbed the “Hot Boyzz.” Greenlaw is back after a year abroad with the Denver Broncos. The 49ers don’t need to push Warner into OTA drills but he will be a welcome sight captaining the defense after missing the final three months last season with a right ankle fracture that’s now fully healed.

5. SECONDARY PLAYMAKERS

Running backs can’t be truly tested until training camp, but defensive backs sure will get ample opportunities to seize jobs, even with all of last season’s incumbent starters back in action.

Veterans Jack Jones and Nate Hobbs, plus fourth-rounder Ephesians Prysock, join the cornerback mix. Meanwhile, the 49ers can start experimenting with safety tandems or roll again with Malik Mustapha and Ji’Ayir Brown, the latter of whom is due to make a $3.6 million base salary that tops all 49ers defensive backs.