The 49ers will have a different look at running back this season with Frank Gore departing for Indianapolis after 10 years as the main man in the backfield.
There may wind up being a main man in the run game by the time the season gets underway, but the plan for now involves a variety of different backs. Carlos Hyde is back for his second season, Reggie Bush signed as a free agent, rugby player Jarryd Hayne is an intriguing unknown and Kendall Hunter returns after tearing his ACL before the start of last season.
A video from the team’s first week of offseason workouts shows Hunter taking part in work eight months after injuring his knee. Hunter averaged 4.6 yards per carry in his first three years with the team and quarterback Colin Kaepernick pointed in his direction when discussing why the team will be OK without Gore.
“We have Kendall coming back, who a lot of people forget about,” Kaepernick said, via the San Jose Mercury News. “Carlos had a great rookie year for us, and we’ll probably be using him a lot more this year. We’ve brought Reggie in, who’s another great weapon on offense. And those are just to name a few of the guys that we have back there. [Gore] will be missed, but we also have people that are more than capable of filling that void.”
The 49ers have ranked in the Top 10 in rushing attempts in each of the last four seasons and the current group of backs should ensure that they don’t drop too far with Gore out of the picture.
