SANTA CLARA — The possibilities swirl around Junior Bergen like gunners on kick coverage, but he has only one thing on his mind.
Catch the ball.
“You don’t have a play if you don’t catch the ball,” Bergen said Tuesday after the 49ers finished practice a day before departing for Las Vegas and a joint practice session with the Raiders.
Sounds simplistic, but as a rookie seventh-round draft pick out of Montana, taking time to figure out the numbers game that produces a 53-man roster would only distract Bergen from working on his speciality while also learning a new offense as a wide receiver.
Exhibition games give young players a chance to play some actual football, but even more so for a return specialist. Bergen has dodged large silver balls rolled in his direction as he settles under a punt from either Thomas Morstead or the JUGS machine. He’s fielded straight forward punts. Directional punts. Banana balls, which are struck with a sideways spin so they curve in the air. Deep punts. Shallow punts.
He’s caught just about all of them, with only a juggle here or there. The only time he gets a chance to run after the catch is against an opponent. In the Big Sky Conference, Bergen has caught punts in the worst possible conditions, so Santa Clara is a snap.
“We’re kicking him some different balls that he’s going to get during the season, whether it’s the banana ball or whether it’s the directional aim right or pulls left,” special teams coach Brant Boyer said.
The only time he gets to run is against an opponent, and against Denver, Bergen did not disappoint. He returned the only punt he fielded for 28 yards. That’s just two yards shy of a 30-yarder by Jacob Cowing that stood as the 49ers’ longest return in 17 regular season games in 2024.
The 49ers’ difficulties in that area are well documented. Their last punt return for a touchdown was Sept. 11, 2011 by Ted Ginn Jr. Against Seattle. Opponents have punted 500 times on the 49ers to 25 different return specialists in 246 games regular and postseason games since Ginn’s 55-yard score.
“I’ve heard it a couple of times,” Bergen said. “Hopefully we can change that this year. That’s the goal. I don’t think we’re focused on the past too much, just be in the present and try and make plays.”
Bergen was a 5-foot-10, 184-pound Big Sky playmaking legend in Missoula, where he returned eight punts for touchdowns to set an NCAA Football Championship Subdivision record and averaged 16.7 yards per return. The 49ers used their final pick of the draft on Bergen, No. 252 overall.
While he’s no lock to stick, breaking a couple of big ones in preseason games against the Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers on Aug. 23 would make it tough to keep him from seizing the role for the Sept. 7 regular season opener against Seattle.
Bergen got a taste of it against Denver. He also returned two kickoffs for 40 yards — Bergen said he’s still adjusting to the NFL rules where coverage units can’t converge until the returner catches the ball — and had one receiving target without a catch. He played 22 snaps on offense and five on special teams.
“I’ve dreamt of that moment for quite some time,” Bergen said. “I’m so thankful God blessed me to play the game I love and come out of it healthy. Unfortunately we didn’t get a win but it’s nice to experience all that.”
Bergen is an anomaly in that he’s not extraordinarily fast, clocking 4.52 on his Pro Day. But he’s slippery and elusive and his college coach Bobby Houck said he’s got a natural feel in the return game.
“I would call it point guard ability,” Houck said last May. “He just instinctively knows where everybody is.”
Bergen keeps things as uncomplicated as possible.
“Just try to make the first guy miss is the biggest thing,” Bergen said. “If you make the first guy miss you’ve got a play there. My teammates blocked it up really well.”
Cowing, who returned to practice Monday for the first time since the first day of training camp, fielded some punts but did not participate in team sessions after recovering from a hamstring strain. He averaged 8.8 yards on 30 returns as a rookie.
Cowing or Bergen are the most likely punt return specialists for Week 1. Both are wide receivers, and while Shanahan made no bones about Bergen being drafted to return punts and kickoffs, he’s liked what he’s seen of Bergen at receiver.
With Jauan Jennings out with a calf injury, Brandon Aiyuk rehabbing a torn ACL and rookie Jordan Watkins out with a high ankle sprain, Bergen’s had his share of snaps at receiver and made his share of plays.
Bergen was a multi-purpose performer at Montana with 577 career yards rushing and four touchdowns and 1,777 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns. He’s the kind of gadget player Shanahan could put to use if he makes the roster.
“He’s gotten a lot more opportunities going into this camp being down more guys than we expected,” Shanahan said. “I think he’s shown he’s ready for it. He’s been able to catch the ball, he’s learned the playbook. We’ve been able to put him in there and use him at receiver and that definitely helps his chances.”
Even if Bergen doesn’t make the initial 53, he could be placed on the practice squad and be eligible to be one of the two players allowed to be elevated on game day.
“All the returners are learning every day and improving every day,” Boyer said. “It’s going to be interesting to see how this all shakes out.”