Five 49ers to watch: 5. Nathan Palmer

(This is the first part in a series that spotlights five 49ers players to watch in the team's final exhibition game Thursday, 7 p.m. (KCBW-TV), vs. the San Diego Chargers at Candlestick Park.)

Wide receiver Nathan Palmer's roommate was Joe Hastings. One of Palmer's best friends on the 49ers was fellow undrafted rookie Brian Tyms.Hastings and Tyms were among the first wave of 49ers cuts on Monday. Palmer remained on the team's 75-player roster. And he'll have a final opportunity to prove himself Thursday night in the 49ers' exhibition finale against the Chargers."It was nerve-wracking," Palmer said. "This is the first time I can honestly say I'm not the best player on my team. Just knowing that, it's a little uneasy to sleep at night. Every time my phone buzzed, my heart would drop. Every time someone called my name, my heart would drop. But just making it through it, feels like a goal accomplished."Brian Tyms is a good friend. I didn't even get a chance to say good-bye before he walked out of the facility. So that showed me the business side of football."
Around the NFL, all teams must get down to 53-player roster limits by Friday, 6 p.m."If I got the call, I wouldn't be too surprised," Palmer said.The 49ers pinpointed Palmer as their top undrafted free agent. They awarded him a 10,000 signing bonus. But anyone can tell that he classifies as a distinct long shot to make the 49ers' 53-man roster.The 49ers feature at least six wide receivers who are clearly ahead of him on the depth chart: Michael Crabtree, Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, Kyle Williams, Ted Ginn and first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins.Palmer, who has three catches for 21 yards in the exhibition season, is likely battling Chris Owusu for a spot on the 49ers' practice squad. Palmer has been a consistent performer since reporting to the 49ers in May.
He also fully realizes the 49ers will provide 22 players with unwanted news on Friday. Palmer knows the game Thursday is his final opportunity put work on film that will be seen by the 31 other teams."If I got the call, hey, I gave it my best, and I got to learn here from Randy Moss and the 49ers gave me a great opportunity," Palmer said.Palmer, who caught 47 passes for 695 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior at Northern Illinois, had made tremendous strides in his knowledge of the game, he said.Moss taught him how to position his body and why certain routes work against different coverage. He also has spoken at length with Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown about the mindset of cornerbacks."Coach (Jim Harbaugh) says, 'Work and don't worry,'" Palmer said. "Sometimes you go out there and work and don't worry about it. But it's still in the back of your mind. This could be my last shot here. This could be my last game. If I'm going to play here, I'm going to play here. If I'm going to play somewhere else, it's just going to happen."