The San Francisco 49ers enter Week 5 significantly shorthanded at wide receiver.
The team will hit Thursday Night Football Week 5 against the rival Los Angeles Rams with very little margin for error.
Excluding top wideout Brandon Aiyuk, who’s currently on IR, the Niners are without Jauan Jennings (ankle/rib), Ricky Pearsall (knee/PCL) and Jordan Watkins (calf). All have been ruled out for Week 5. Quarterback Brock Purdy has also been officially ruled out against L.A., so Mac Jones will start under center.
With nearly all the perimeter snaps up for grabs, San Francisco could use someone who can contribute in Kyle Shanahan’s offense without months of acclimation—and that’s where a practice-squad poach like Javon Baker could be very compelling.
A Look at Baker’s College Experience & Pro Career So Far
GettyShould the San Francisco 49ers poach WR Javon Baker off the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad?
At UCF in 2023, Baker caught 52 passes for 1,139 yards and seven touchdowns, leading the Big 12 in receiving yards while posting a blistering 21.9 yards per catch, which ranked second nationally that season. The year prior, he led UCF with 796 receiving yards on 56 grabs.
Physically, Baker is built like an NFL outside receiver at 6-foot-1 and a tad over 202 pounds, with 32-inch arms and legit mid-4.5 speed. His contested-catch skills and deep-ball tracking abilities would likely do well in Shanahan’s system, which marries outside-zone, play-action and in-breaking concepts.
Baker was selected in the fourth-round by the New England Patriots (110th overall) in 2024, and he played in 11 games, primarily on special teams. He caught a lone pass for 12 yards. Philadelphia signed Baker to its practice squad this offseason after he cleared waivers from New England. Now, he’s one of several WRs on the Philly’s practice squad.
Any team can sign an opposing practice-squad player to its 53-man roster (not to another practice squad), and doing so typically requires keeping him on the active roster for three weeks. The only wrinkle is the timing restriction about signing a player from your next opponent within six days—which in this case, is irrelevant because the Eagles and the 49ers don’t play each other at all during the regular season.
More on Why the San Francisco 49ers Should Sign WR Javon Baker off the Eagles’ Practice Squad
Baker’s NFL tape is virtually nonexistent, but he can handle an NFL huddle and roles on special teams while he learns Shanahan’s offense. If the 49ers like the fit after a week, they’ve upgraded their WR4/WR5 profile for minimal draft capital. If not, they’ve still added another athletic body to the mix while Jennings, Pearsall and Watkins heal.
Practice-squad poaches are among the cheapest ways to add players with promise during the regular season, and with injuries stacking up and explosive plays at a premium, Baker could give the Niners a low-risk, potentially high-reward option.
Adding a player like Baker, who’s young and likely eager to see the field, could wind up paying real dividends. If it doesn’t work out, it’s not as though it’ll have cost the 49ers much.
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