Veteran could be the odd man out in 49ers WR room

Does Robinson have enough credit?

Robinson would appear to have the edge other both Cowing and Watkins given he has significantly more experience and was able to make a sporadic impact when called upon last season, his first year of a two-year, $8 million contract. His most influential performance of the 2025 campaign came in the playoffs, when Robinson exploded for 111 yards and a touchdown in the 49ers’ wild-card round win over the Philadelphia Eagles. That perhaps gave Robinson some credit in the bank with Kyle Shanahan but, considering Robinson had just 276 yards and a touchdown in the regular season, it’s debatable whether he has enough to guarantee beating out Watkins and Cowing given the draft capital the 49ers have invested in that pair.

An argument for the unproven pair

Both Cowing (2024) and Watkins (2025) were taken in the fourth round and have each flashed promise, albeit predominantly in training camp and preseason football, only to see their playing time restricted due to injuries. Watkins played only four regular-season games in his rookie year after suffering a high-ankle sprain in his first preseason game, which saw him catch a 50-yard bomb from Mac Jones. Cowing shone in his first preseason in the NFL but then had only four receptions for 80 yards across 15 regular-season games in 2024, though one of those catches was a 41-yard deep shot from Brock Purdy against the Kansas City Chiefs. After a frustrating start to his pro career, Cowing then had his entire 2025 season by a torn hamstring. On the surface, the idea of Shanahan going with two unproven players who have already had durability issues over Robinson seems unlikely. However, they both have an intriguing blend of speed and route-running acumen and will count less against the cap combined than Robinson, whose cap hit for 2026 is $2.7 million. That is not a massive sum by any means but there is an argument for a 49ers franchise that loves to stockpile late-round picks looking to get the 31-year-old’s contract off their books. Robinson is unlikely to command more than a seventh-round pick at this stage in his career but, given a post-June 1 trade would save the 49ers $2.26 million in cap space and see them take on a dead money hit of just $438,867, it may behove San Francisco to find a trade partner who would pay that small price. Of course, the 49ers being motivated to do so depends largely on Cowing and Watkins staying healthy and showing signs that they can earn Shanahan’s trust. But the likelihood of Robinson improving on his impact from last year is low, and it would make more sense for the 49ers to go with two players who have the potential to be long-term contributors to the offense as the final two names on the wide receiver depth chart. If the noises around Cowing and Watkins are positive as the 49ers prepare for the season, it would be no surprise to see the 49ers make a move to part with last season’s playoff hero.