Biggest loser from 49ers' trade for Skyy Moore isn't who you think

The San Francisco 49ers didn't exactly move the needle much by trading with the Kansas City Chiefs for wide receiver Skyy Moore just days before the preseason finale and ahead of final roster cut-down day in advance of the regular season.

But, in light of the sheer volume of injuries at the position, getting an experienced wideout in the room seems like an absolute necessity.

With Brandon Aiyuk (PUP) and Demarcus Robinson (suspension) already locks to miss the first few weeks of the season, combined with several other receivers banged up and dealing with injuries, the need to simply round out the depth chart is apparent.

However, the Moore acquisition isn't necessarily good news for everyone on the Niners' 90-man preseason roster.

One wideout in particular, rookie Junior Bergen, has to be less thrilled about this than the rest of the crop of fringe receivers.

Skyy Moore trade spells bad news for rookie Junior Bergen

Bergen, the small-school seventh-round draftee whom San Francisco grabbed in Round 7 last April, landed on the 49ers' radar in light of his electrifying punt return abilities, and even head coach Kyle Shanahan alluded to those traits being the necessary part of Bergen making the 53-man roster in year one.

The rookie flashed some special teams promise in the Niners' preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, too, boasting a 28-yard punt return that suggested San Francisco finally had a worthy return specialist after wholly neglecting the role for years.

Unfortunately, that spot on the regular-season roster might be too much of a luxury with Moore in the picture.

Granted, there are plenty of other fringe wideouts who are directly impacted by Moore's pickup. But, the remainder of names like Robbie Chosen, Isaiah Hodgins, Terique Owens and Malik Turner all can offer a bit more on offense, whereas Bergen's calling card is his ability in the return game.

If the 49ers hadn't suffered so many receiver injuries up to this point and subsequently didn't need to trade for Moore, Bergen might have been a luxury add to the 53-man roster, and few would have questioned it.

Now, though, the Round 7 rookie might merely be a footnote in the story that becomes the Niners' 2025 campaign.