Glen

Coffee

Coffee surprisingly hung up the cleats prior to his second NFL season in 2010. He did briefly return to the game a year later as a part of a Florida semi-pro team, but he hasn’t tried to get back in the NFL. Coffee enlisted in the Army on Feb. 4 and wants to become a member of the elite Special Forces.

Though Glen Coffee was taken in the 2009 third round and Dixon was picked in the sixth, the Niners won’t lean on draft status when determining Frank Gore’s backup. Dixon is the more physical back, while Coffee has edges in system experience and long speed. Ultimately, it’s difficult to imagine Gore having a clear handcuff in 2010. If Gore went down, they would both play.

We’re not sure exactly why Coffee is doing this after he lacked quickness as a rookie. The Niners drafted 240-pound bruiser Anthony Dixon in April, and Coffee isn’t going to out-power the rookie. Frank Gore won’t be given many plays off once again this season.

Coffee has been out of the league since 2010, but was recently reinstated from the reserve/retired list. The 29-year-old is unlikely to draw NFL interest.

Coffee, listed at 198 at Alabama, weighed in at 209 at February’s Scouting Combine. The Niners consider him a “downhill” back, but it’s hard to imagine Coffee threatening Frank Gore’s goal-line carries. Coffee is lanky with skinny legs. He looks more like a handcuff for Gore.

We thought San Francisco would invest in a bruiser to pair with Frank Gore, but Glen Coffee and now Sheets offer different skill sets. Sheets can block and make people miss, making him a fine candidate to be a third-down back. It wouldn’t totally shock us if he outplays Coffee and/or makes the team.

A surprising choice with Andre Brown and Rashad Jennings on the clock. But it’s not surprising the 49ers added another back to share the load with Frank Gore. Coffee is not an especially elusive or explosive runner and played behind NCAA’s best offensive line, but showed some power in college. Gore owners can’t love another back added to the mix, but Coffee doesn’t project as a huge difference maker.

“The coach has been telling me that...I have to be ready to take the load, and that’s what I’m going to do,” Gore said. “The more I’m in the game, the more I touch the ball, the better player I am. I don’t think we’ll be rotating.” Neither do we. Coffee probably won’t end up with more than 6-8 touches a game.

Coffee did little to stand out this spring and seems unlikely to cut into Frank Gore’s workload. Beat writers have speculated that Coffee might be used at the goal line, but Gore’s versatility gives the team more options there and keeps defenses guessing. Coffee is barely a late-round handcuff pick.

Both rookies are believed to be waiting for a few more players to sign, so they can accurately gauge their signing bonuses. Once the Coffee and Davis deals are finished, Michael Crabtree’s should be expedited.