kendall hunter's role in the future

The Niners need to play Hunter a lot this season. He's in a contract year; this should be his best season in the NFL. He's never gonna be better than in 2014 IMO.

If he fizzles out, the Niners can get him back on the cheap. If his play is amazing, some other team gives him big money & the Niners get a compensatory pick. It's win win. Either way, feed him the rock early & often.

Originally posted by CWin4949:
Kendall Hunter is the best RB on our roster if 100% healthy.....


Flame away.....

why should you get flamed.. i have always said he is our best player on offense that no one talks about

Originally posted by cciowa:

why should you get flamed.. i have always said

And then...

Originally posted by cciowa:

he is our best player on offense that no one talks about

This annoying, got'chya post has been brought to you by the VP of Carnage.

"Got no choice; I'm a hittin' machine."

Originally posted by AkNiners:

Originally posted by NYniner85:
Never said he was being pushed out the door he isn't a 3 down back, he is a change of pace back. In my opinion he doesn't have the size to be a 3 down back where Lattimore and Hyde are both around 6 foot 225 lbs.

He ain't skinny...

I like how he's been a bit under the radar and I bet he's worked his ass off to get back to his real potential. You could tell he wasn't full strength last year (coming off that injury). He looks like a pit bull ready to bite off a DBs head!

I'm not sure what's going on at RB position after this season. All I know is we have leeway now. If Lattimore is a bust Hyde can give it a go. If Gore all of the sudden losses steam or is hurt any one of the three remaining backs or all three can attempt to fill the void. This season will pretty much be an experimental season to see who will emerge as the no 1 back after Gore leaves. Is it even a lock that we'll not resign Gore? Pretty much. Will we even want to PAY Hunter if he just has a mediocre season? How will we even know if he's worth a new high paying deal unless he gets about half the workload as Gore did when he pushed Barlow out? How do we figure out who's beast with so many guys in just one season? I think we end up letting both Hunter and Gore walk if Hyde and Lattimore show up big time on field. Seems like there are some issues with Lattimore's recovery which is probably why they went after Hyde so maybe we hold onto Hunter and Hyde? What if Gore has a beast season? Resign him to a one year contract?

I think Lattimore is essentially 100%. He said he was sore the first couple days of minicamp, but I got the impression he's a full go at this point.

His future. Easy another team after this season. Boone, Mike, Crabtree, Davis, Aldon. Possible gore also doesn't return either, we just don't have the money, and we need to pay the younger guys, plus we have lat, hyde, lmj, all signed for next season, expect to be a 3 back system next year.

I'm pulling for the kid but I don't see Hunter as the long term solution and I don't believe HarBaalke see him as that either. HarBaalke want a bruiser, they want to punish people with our run game, a few yards and a cloud of dust. Hunter just isn't that guy.

I tend to think of Kendall Hunter as sort of a Delanie Walker type in terms of skill and talent compared to others in his position - except Delanie saw more action because Harbaugh likes using two tight end formations with one "half" back (and maybe a fullback). I wish the 9ers could have afforded to keep Delanie, but Vernon takes a big part of the pot the team can afford to put toward tight ends (or wants to put toward tight ends), so he moved on. It worked out well for Delaine. He was a bigger part of the Jag's offense than he would have been if he stayed with the Niners offense (though it's entirely possible that if the 9ers had kept Delanie, they might have won the Super Bowl last year - I know, the endless "ifs"). I think Kendall is like that. His best path may be to move on to another team that will use his talent more, like the Jags did with Delanie.

Of course, it's all about the competition. Harbaugh is fairly ruthless about playing the players who he thinks are playing best, period. Four really good guys - really talented guys - competing to run the ball, that can't be anything but good for the team. If next year Kendall is one of the three best backs, then that's who Harbaugh will want going into the next season. In terms of the coach, I think it is as simple as that. In terms of the management side of the team - that's a complex calculus of money and contracts.

I still say Hunter is the next to get extended (or right after Boone). Im looking for right after training camp is over. Hes productive, young, and brings a different element to the running game. Hunter also brings value to ST. He wont be too expensive either. The only problem with the thinking of extending him is that Gores contract is up too after '14 and he would definitely feel s**tted on if Hunter got more $ before he does.

Originally posted by SFL49ER:
I still say Hunter is the next to get extended (or right after Boone). Im looking for right after training camp is over. Hes productive, young, and brings a different element to the running game. Hunter also brings value to ST. He wont be too expensive either. The only problem with the thinking of extending him is that Gores contract is up too after '14 and he would definitely feel s**tted on if Hunter got more $ before he does.

Yes he does !

Originally posted by 49erphan:

I tend to think of Kendall Hunter as sort of a Delanie Walker type in terms of skill and talent compared to others in his position - except Delanie saw more action because Harbaugh likes using two tight end formations with one "half" back (and maybe a fullback). I wish the 9ers could have afforded to keep Delanie, but Vernon takes a big part of the pot the team can afford to put toward tight ends (or wants to put toward tight ends), so he moved on. It worked out well for Delaine. He was a bigger part of the Jag's offense than he would have been if he stayed with the Niners offense (though it's entirely possible that if the 9ers had kept Delanie, they might have won the Super Bowl last year - I know, the endless "ifs"). I think Kendall is like that. His best path may be to move on to another team that will use his talent more, like the Jags did with Delanie.

Of course, it's all about the competition. Harbaugh is fairly ruthless about playing the players who he thinks are playing best, period. Four really good guys - really talented guys - competing to run the ball, that can't be anything but good for the team. If next year Kendall is one of the three best backs, then that's who Harbaugh will want going into the next season. In terms of the coach, I think it is as simple as that. In terms of the management side of the team - that's a complex calculus of money and contracts.

Delanie went to the Tennessee Titans.

If we fail to resign Hunter or Gore, then I think we will be DRAFTING yet another running back next year. That would have to be a record of consecutive drafts of picking a rb.

( I lost count, we may be at 5 in a row now)

Edit: 6 drafts in a now after Hyde this year.

'14 - Hyde
'13 - Latt
'12 - LMJ
'11 - Hunter
'10 - Dixon
'09 - Coffee

'07 - T. Clayton (rnd 6)

if he isnt fighting for the last spot on the roster I think he'll be traded or released.
personially I believe is a very good RB and before he got injured, Gore and Hunter where a very good Duo...
But... with all the new addition's to the RB corps it makes it hard with the younger talent.
21 Gore, Frank

28 Hyde, Carlos

32 Hunter, Kendall
2013: Avg 4.6 Att: 76
2012: Avg 5.2 Att: 72
2011: Avg 4.2 Att: 112
Total: Avg 4.6 Att: 262

23 James, LaMichael

38 Lattimore, Marcus

The answer could lie in who has more trade value, Hunter, Lattimore, or LMJ?