49ers’ Stevie Johnson losing his job to Quinton Patton?
For a three years in a row, Stevie Johnson was an 1,000 yard receiver. But since 2012, things have looked different for the former Buffalo Bills receiver. It’s gotten ugly. While it seemed likely that he was the 49ers No. 3 wide receiver behind Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree, he’s losing ground to Quinton Patton.
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Patton is a second year player and has only five career targets. But he’s got something that Johnson doesn’t — he’s got experience in the 49ers system. Even though Harbuagh appears to have picked favorites, he’s holding firmly in indecision.
“We don’t have that yet for you, the ordering,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said to CSN Bay Area when asked if Patton is the team’s third receiver. “I thought he (Patton) did well.”
Johnson simply isn’t getting the reps that one might expect him to get. Patton looks like a team favorite.
CSN’s Matt Maiocco writes:
"“If anyone needs work with Colin Kaepernick and the first-team offense, it’s Johnson. He and Kaepernick did not make much of a mark together on the practice field during camp. It makes you wonder how he fits in.”"
But Harbaugh had an easy answer to that. “He fits in,” Harbaugh said of Johnson.
The only negativity surrounding Patton was a bit of showboating after he caught a touchdown.
“We don’t want to see that. . . Yeah, I talked to him about it,” Harbaugh said.
If that’s Patton’s biggest issue, the wide receiver could be in the clear to pursue the No. 3 spot. Which begs a question: Would the 49ers release Stevie Johnson, who will make $3.65 million in salary, if he isn’t one of their Top 3 receivers? Share your thoughts in the comment section.