John Lynch tells Steve Wyche that Jerick McKinnon plays big despite smaller size

Jul 26, 2018 at 11:13 AM--


Can running back Jerick McKinnon find success as the featured back in San Francisco? General manager John Lynch believes so. The San Francisco 49ers signed McKinnon as a free agent at the start of free agency in March. Head coach Kyle Shanahan will have him take on the majority of the workload in the backfield.

One of the big questions surrounding McKinnon's potential success as a featured back is his size. He is listed at 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds. Those measurements are smaller than last season's starter, Carlos Hyde, who is listed at 5-foot-11 and 229 pounds.

Lynch believes McKinnon, along with running back Matt Breida, can be effective in Shanahan's offense. The 49ers general manager spoke with NFL Network's Steve Wyche during Thursday's practice, which was the first of training camp.

"We like Matt Breida a lot," Lynch told Wyche. "We obviously like Jerick McKinnon a lot. We went out and got him. And the one thing I love about Kyle, he's a got a really good knowledge of exactly what he wants at each position, and he really doesn't rely on, 'Was Jerick a backup elsewhere?' What he saw, he liked a lot.

"The more I started watching him, I started liking him a lot as well. The interesting thing about him, I think he's going to be a huge asset in the pass game, we really think he's going to be a good runner. Carlos Hyde, who we lost, who did great for us -- a bigger back. Jerick's smaller in stature, but I think he plays big. Once I watched him a lot, I kind of got over those concerns of him being small. He plays big. 206 pounds but a big, strong guy as well."




Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

49ers GM John Lynch attends Michigan Pro Day

By David Bonilla
Mar 22

As expected, Michigan's Pro Day has a significant NFL presence. The event features 18 draft-eligible players from the national champion's roster. Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy reports that San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch is among those in attendance. Lynch is one of nine general managers on hand to evaluate the draft hopefuls. PRO-DAY UPDATE: Only fitting that national champs @UMichFootball, with record 18 Combine invitees, have biggest NFL turnout for pro-day.Here's list of NFL attendees who'll


placeholder image

49ers actively negotiating with Brandon Aiyuk, not discussing trades, says John Lynch

By David Bonilla
Mar 25

General manager John Lynch addressed reporters at the NFL owners meetings on Monday, emphasizing the San Francisco 49ers' active pursuit of a contract extension for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. There has been significant speculation surrounding Aiyuk's status this offseason. The receiver is slated to play on his fifth-year option, which guarantees him $14.124 million in 2024. While the team would be content with Aiyuk playing on that fifth-year option, it would prefer to secure the star receiver to a long-term deal before he returns to the field. RELATED: Brandon Aiyuk reacts to John Lynch's latest contract negotiation


placeholder image

John Lynch explains 49ers' draft penalty

By David Bonilla
Mar 25

A week ago, the NFL penalized the San Francisco 49ers for payroll accounting errors. As punishment, the team forfeited a 2025 fifth-round draft pick and had its fourth-round pick in next month's draft moved to the end of the round. On Monday, general manager John Lynch addressed reporters at the NFL owners meetings and explained the punishment more thoroughly. "I have a difference of opinion on the severity of the discipline. We take accountability for what happened," Lynch said. He revealed that the 49ers overpaid an unspecified player $75,000 during the COVID era, labeling the mistake as a "clerical error" after implementing a new system. "We own


placeholder image

John Lynch explains 49ers' free-agency moves

By David Bonilla
Mar 25

San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch addressed reporters on Monday at the NFL owners meetings, shedding light on the team's recent free-agency moves. The most notable move was signing pass rusher Leonard Floyd to a two-year contract. The 49ers also secured defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos on a two-year deal. Lynch explained the rationale behind opting for multi-year contracts, highlighting the desire for stability on the defensive line. "We did some two-year deals on the D-line, so we don't have to do this every year. It gets hard," Lynch remarked with a smile. Lynch delved into the specifics of each signing, starting with Floyd, emphasizing the player's consistency and high level of competitiveness. DE Leonard


Latest

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone