If 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan had to choose one reason for the 2024 disaster, it had to be the injuries. Particularly that of RB Christian McCaffrey stiffed their O-line short. The rushing yards leader of 2023 was out in the 2024 season owing to his Achilles injury. Enter RB Jordan Mason. He took it upon himself to record 153 rushes in 789 rushing yards with 3 TDs in 12 games (6 starters). This was the first season with the Niners playing him as a starter. And he didn’t disappoint. The league was in awe of his talent. But wait. He is now giving the head coach some serious headaches.
Here’s the tea: Mason had a 3-year, $2.5 million contract in 2022. And now the 49ers are in a fix. Cut, trade, or resign! According to The San Francisco Standard reporter David Lombardi, many teams in the league want the running back. He also talked about RB Matt Breida’s 2020 second-round tendering in the draft for $3.3 million. This year, the same process will cost them $5.3 million. But wait, there’s another angle to this.
Jordan Mason turned out to be a key weapon for Kyle Shanahan. Lombardi noted, “If you offer the second round tender, and another team comes in and offers Jordan Mason more money. And the 49ers, with the right of first refusal which comes as part of this, say, no, we don’t want to pay him that much money. The 49ers would get a second-round pick back in return for Jordan Mason. So you would create a worst-case scenario of a second-round pick in return for a running back, who you know some metrics indicate was running as well as Derrick Henry last season before he got hurt.” That’s a tough situation.
With 5.2 rushes per attempt, the 49ers RB was better than the Ravens RB, Derrick Henry. Overall, Henry had 325 rushes for 1,921 yards with 16 TDs. Mason was going strong before the high ankle sprain sidelined him for the entire season. Given the 9 seasons Henry has played for, the comparison is a little far-fetched. But the 25-year-old has a long way to go.
The 49ers have 2 choices: Jordan Mason or Isaac Guerendo. Last year, the rookie played 16 games (3 starters) and recorded 84 rushes for 420 yards with 4 TDs. To get the maximum value from Mason, Shanahan needs to sit down with GM John Lynch and figure out the best scenario. They have already traded WR Deebo Samuel. Brandon Aiyuk is also expecting offers.
Among this hurry of trading up their players, they also have options of signing other players. The most recent includes their LB Nick Bosa’s elder brother, Joey Bosa.
Kyle Shanahan is interested in Joey Bosa
On March 5, the LA Chargers sent shock waves into the football world by releasing their star LB Joey Bosa. The injuries were a big reason. It was a backstabbing by Chargers GM Joe Hortiz, who had claimed a few days ago that they would keep him. But the player has moved on.
NFL’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Nick Wagoner have already revealed the destination for the LB. They both claimed that Kyle Shanahan & co. could give an offer to the linebacker. Now it depends on Joey Bosa if he wants to accept it. His mother, Cheryl, will want him to sign.
Just hours after the news broke out, she requested the fans to start a petition for the 49ers to sign him. Joey Bosa is a record holder. He was the fastest to reach 50 sacks for the Chargers and the second most sacks in franchise history. But the 49ers’ HC bore the brunt of injured players. Will he sign another injury-riddled player? It could happen, given they have been hyper-aggressive in the free agency.
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