The San Francisco 49ers’ dreadful season acquired worse in Week 13 when working backs Christian McCaffrey and Jordan Mason each suffered accidents that can land the RBs on IR.
McCaffrey will miss at the least six weeks with a PCL harm in his knee, whereas Mason should work his means again from a excessive ankle sprain. With solely 5 video games left within the season it wouldn’t be a shock if each gamers missed the remainder of the yr.
That leaves a reasonably substantial void within the 49ers’ backfield the place Mason and McCaffrey had accounted for 203 of their 340 speeding makes an attempt. Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday in a convention name with reporters defined how the group plans to function with McCaffrey and Mason each sidelined.
“Yeah, now we have (rookie RB Isaac) Guerendo. Obviously, he’ll be up,” Shanahan stated. “We’ve acquired (RB) Patrick (Taylor Jr.) right here who’s on our apply squad, who will certainly be bumped up now, who was on our roster earlier within the yr earlier than Christian got here again. And we’ll most probably must search for one other.”
Guerendo is a fourth-round decide who has 246 yards and two touchdowns on 42 carries this season. Taylor signed with the 49ers within the offseason and hung out on the energetic roster earlier than McCaffrey returned from Achilles tendinitis. He posted 25 speeding yards on seven carries earlier than getting lower to make room for McCaffrey. The 49ers re-signed Taylor to the apply squad shortly after he was let go.
This is a first-rate alternative for Guerendo to carve out a long-term position. With Mason attributable to hit free company subsequent offseason, the 49ers could also be in search of a No. 2 RB to fit in behind McCaffrey and Guerendo might be their prime choice if he performs properly because the lead again.
The possible choice for San Francisco once they usher in one other RB is Ke’Shawn Vaughn, who was on the 49ers apply squad after spending the preseason with the group. Veteran Matt Breida was additionally with the membership within the preseason, however he by no means re-signed to the apply squad. Vaughn’s familiarity with the group and the offense make him a logical selection until the 49ers like one other free agent as a possible long-term choice and need to give him some seems in apply.
