At the start of camp, wide receiver Tandon Doss looked to be on the verge of a breakout. His sticky fingers were still there, and he appeared to be quicker.
After missing more than two weeks of practice due to a hamstring injury, however, Doss is now playing catch-up.
"In the game [Friday], I felt a little awkward running," Doss said. "It's been a while. I'm finally getting my legs underneath me and I'm ready to start making plays."
Technically, Doss got the start on Friday's preseason game along with Anquan Boldin and LaQuan Williams. Doss had one catch for 15 yards, coming on a smooth slant over the middle. He was targeted with two passes.
Williams was targeted with six passes and caught two for 22 yards. Rookie free agent Deonte Thompson was targeted five times.
Doss, is still working his way into the rotation. It's the same process he had last season.
The fourth-round pick didn't record a catch in his rookie season, and again doesn't have a clear path to extended playing time. He's still got Boldin ahead of him. Newcomer Jacoby Jones looks to be settled in as the No. 3 wide receiver and Williams has been healthy and performed well throughout camp.
Doss has learned to play inside and outside to give himself a better chance of seeing the field.
Head Coach John Harbaugh still sees a role for Doss. He needs to stay healthy and keep having strong practices like he did on Sunday when he finished the day with a touchdown in the two-minute drill.
"It's really important to get Tandon back and get a look at him," Harbaugh said.
"He is a guy, obviously, that we think a lot of and have high hopes for. He has high hopes for his career too. He has a lot of confidence. He has a lot of talent. We just need to get him out there and stack some days and see how he does and get him going."
