Who Should I Start? Trent Taylor or Tommy Mellott

Wednesday, June 4, 6:35 PM

The San Francisco 49ers announced on Tuesday that they placed wide receiver Trent Taylor (undisclosed) on Injured Reserve and signed receiver Malik Knowles to an undisclosed one-year deal in a corresponding move. It's unclear exactly what Taylor's injury is, but he's now expected to miss the entire 2025 season. The 31-year-old former fifth-round pick (177th overall) in 2017 out of Louisiana Tech spent the first three years of his career in the Bay Area before going to the Cincinnati Bengals for two years and the Chicago Bears in 2023. In just two games in his return to the Niners last season, Taylor caught his only target for an 11-yard pickup. Taylor has been a depth piece in his career and has a total of 88 receptions for 845 yards and only three touchdowns on 138 targets over 80 games played (three starts) since debuting in 2017.

Friday, May 23, 12:19 PM

The Athletic's Tashan Reed reports that Las Vegas Raiders rookie sixth-rounder Tommy Mellott got significant action at slot receiver during an OTA practice this week. The quarterback-turned-receiver made cornerback Darnay Holmes fall on an in-and-out route on one rep before catching a pass from quarterback Geno Smith and turning upfield. Receiver Tre Tucker made the most impressive play of the day on a deep route where he got open over the top of the safety for a diving catch. Tucker started most of last year, but his role could be in jeopardy in 2025 after the Raiders drafted Dont'e Thornton and Jack Bech. Mellott is fast and athletic at 6-foot, 208 pounds but will most likely serve in a depth role at wideout in his first year in the NFL while also contributing as a return option on special teams.