The 49ers have brought back veteran slot receiver and return man Trent Taylor, signing him to a one-year contract, the team announced Tuesday.
The 49ers and Taylor were in talks about a reunion, a league source told NBC Sports Bay Area on Tuesday, and the conversation clearly moved quickly.
Taylor has been in the NFL since 2017, when he was a fifth-round pick in the first draft class of general manager John Lynch and coach Kyle Shanahan with the 49ers.
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After four seasons with the 49ers, Taylor played two years with the Cincinnati Bengals and last season with the Chicago Bears.
Taylor, 29, has appeared in 78 NFL career games. He has 87 receptions for 834 yards and three touchdowns. He had a standout rookie season with the 49ers with 43 catches for 430 yards and two touchdowns.
Injuries sidetracked the early part of Taylor's career, and he missed the entire 2019 season due to a foot injury and complications from surgeries.
With Taylor back in the mix, the 49ers fill two important needs, as he supplies the team with an option at slot receiver, as well as competing to handle punt-return chores.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers lost punt return Ray-Ray McCloud in NFL free agency this offseason when he signed with the Atlanta Falcons.
Taylor has a career average of 9.4 yards on 112 punt returns in his career.
Rookie Ronnie Bell struggled in the role of returning punts last season when McCloud was out of action for several games.