49ers Sign Terrace Marshall As Brandon Aiyuk Skips Another Practice

The San Francisco 49ers have signed former second-round pick wide receiver Terrace Marshall Jr. to their practice squad. This moves comes amid a contract dispute with star wideout Brandon Aiyuk, one that has led to him skipping practice on both Wednesday and Thursday.

Read more: 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk Skips Practice Again as Contract Saga Continues

While Aiyuk has been a “hold-in” for all of training camp, he wasn’t officially cleared to practice until Wednesday as he was dealing with back and neck injuries. However, Aiyuk was cleared to rejoin the team on Wednesday, and both head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch expected him to suit up. He didn’t.

As the 49ers and Aiyuk continue to work towards a new contract, San Francisco is doing its due diligence on adding wide receiver depth. They found it in the form of a former second-round pick.

Marshall, 24, was waived by the Carolina Panthers on Tuesday as they trimmed their roster to 53. It didn’t take him long to find a new home.

Marshall was selected with the No. 59 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was a standout at LSU, catching 23 touchdowns over his sophomore and junior seasons, but struggled at the NFL level in Carolina.

Marshall has appeared in 36 games (16 starts) over the last three seasons, catching 64 passes for 767 yards and one touchdown. His best season came in 2022, when he had 28 receptions for 490 yards and the lone NFL touchdown of his career.

Marshall has dealt with below-average quarterback play in Carolina, and would benefit from being in an offense like San Francisco’s. However, for now, he’s going to work on the practice squad, and try to earn a call-up to the active roster.

With Aiyuk out, the 49ers’ wide receiver room currently consists of Deebo Samuel Sr., Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Ronnie Bell, Chris Conley, and Jacob Cowing. Marshall could easily compete for a roster spot in Week 1, especially with the uncertainty after Samuel and Jennings.

For now, the 49ers are hoping to finalize things with Aiyuk sooner rather than later so they can be fully loaded for Week 1. If not, or if Aiyuk ends up getting traded, there will be plenty of opportunities for Marshall and the rest of these young receivers to make a name for themselves in the San Francisco offense.

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