Kyle Shanahan, who ESPN reported will be offered the 49ers’ head coaching job, has a track record for elevating wide receiver play.
Former Redskins receiver Anthony Armstrong was one of those benefactors from Shanahan’s coaching. Undrafted and playing in the Arena Football League, Shanahan plucked Armstrong off the streets in 2010 and produced 44 catches for 871 yards and the NFL’s third-best yards-per-catch (19.8).
Armstrong joined The KJ Podcast on Tuesday and said there’s one player on the 49ers who could see significant production in 2017.
“I was thinking, who could benefit the most from him joining that team and I could see a resurgence of Torrey Smith,” Armstrong said. “That could have some success.
“The running game is what makes the offense tick. You get the defenses moving laterally, then you can run bootlegs and nakeds off of it and run play-action. That’s going to get you those big chunk plays that I expect Torrey to have some success in.”
In 12 games last season, Smith registered just 20 receptions for 267 yards and three touchdowns. A concussion sidelined him the final few games in December. In the season before, Smith had 33 catches for 663 yards and four touchdowns. Smith signed a five-year, $40 million deal in 2015.
Is Shanahan the remedy to recapture Smith’s magic from Baltimore? Before he arrived to San Francisco, Smith was known as one of the best deep threats in the league. In his first four seasons in the NFL, the 27-year-old recorded 19 catches of 40 yards or more. He had just one of those last season under head coach Chip Kelly.
Armstrong says the best thing about Kyle Shanahan is that he’ll find what you are best at and he’ll someone mix and match it all together in the game plan. He’s done it this year with unheralded receiver Taylor Gabriel who finished the year with six touchdowns.
“I’ve seen him grow as a play caller. Back in 2010-12, I could watch on TV and have an idea for what he would call in certain situations. But now I’m seeing new wrinkles that are coming in. He has more weapons to work with to do different things. And frankly, he’ll listen to other minds. He’ll take input from a quarterback, from Mike McDaniels (a trusted assistant).
“Kyle’s a young guy. He’s going to resonate well with younger players. I think it makes easy for guys to come and talk to him when they have issues. He’s not going to stand over top of you like a dictator or anything. He’ll be able to relate to a younger player…There’s a lot more younger guys. You need to have someone who will be able to communicate with them.”