WR Malik Turner made an immediate impact for the Michigan Panthers – and now he’s headed back to the NFL. The San Francisco 49ers are signing Turner to their roster following yesterday’s workout, a league source confirms to Pro Football Newsroom.
With a couple of offensive changes this past offseason for Michigan, Turner came into the fold and fit right in. His veteran NFL experience made him into a go-to target for UFL MVP Bryce Perkins, racking up 365 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season.
Once the Panthers traded WR Marcus Simms to the Roughnecks, Malik’s production saw an uptick. This was capped off in the playoffs, as he posted a ridiculous 269 yards and four receiving touchdowns across a two game span.
Had it not been for DC’s offensive explosion of their own, Turner would have been in the running for Championship Game MVP, with 170 yards and 3 TD’s in that outing alone. Malik was one of the biggest offseason signings by any UFL organization, brought in by Panthers GM Steve Kazor.
Turner played his college football at Illinois. He was a standout there, recording 1,804 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns across four seasons. Malik turned some heads at the NFL level, eventually signing as an UDFA with the Seattle Seahawks in 2018.
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Turner spent some time with the Seahawks, bouncing back and forth between the practice squad and the active roster. He caught a 33 yard pass for his first pro touchdown in a win over the 49ers in 2019. Malik was let go in April of 2020.
After spending a few years bouncing around between various practice squads in the NFL, Malik took advantage of his opportunity with the UFL. Now, he’s headed back to San Francisco – a team he’s already familiar with.
Final Thoughts
The 49ers have brought in UFL talent this summer for the preseason. Stallions DE Bradlee Anae and Showboats EDGE Jaylon Allen were signed a couple of weeks ago.
Malik is the seventh Panther to sign an…