The San Francisco 49ers lost a player who figured to be a key component within head coach Kyle Shanahan's offseason this season. Running back Jerick McKinnon suffered a torn ACL over the weekend and was placed on injured reserve on Monday.
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin joined KNBR on Wednesday morning and shared what losing a versatile starter on offense means to the 49ers.
"It's tragic to go through something like that, especially one of your starting guys, somebody who you brought in to help this organization," Goodwin said on the "Murph & Mac" show. "It definitely hurt the team but we have guys who are ready to step up and ready to assume that role. So I look forward to seeing what those guys will do, and we've got to do it for Jerick this week."
One of the running backs who figured to contribute in place of McKinnon is newcomer Alfred Morris, who the 49ers signed on August 14. He spent his first two seasons in the league playing within Shanahan's offense when the 49ers head coach was the offensive coordinator in Washington.
Morris rushed for 2,888 yards in two seasons (2012-13) with Shanahan, including a 1,613-yard performance in 2012 which set a franchise rushing record.
"I didn't personally know him before he came to this organization, but I had seen Alfred play when he was at the Redskins and when he basically led the league for one or two years in a row," Goodwin said. "And he did really well in Kyle's offensive scheme, so I'm definitely excited to see him play in a regular season game.
"He did his thing when he got in the game in the preseason, so I expect nothing but great things from him."
Second-year running back Matt Breida, who backed up Carlos Hyde last season, figures to be another big part of the 49ers' rushing attack.
"I'm just proud of him," Goodwin said. "The work that he's put in and the dedication and the focus that he's shown coming in as a rookie and being able to play in a league that's so hard to make it in. Him coming in undrafted and just being so athletic and so well put together, I'm just happy to see where he'll take his abilities this year."
Nike and former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick have recently been in the headlines. The manufacturer of athletic apparel put Kaepernick at the center of its latest ad campaign.
"I think it's beautiful," Goodwin said. "Just the opportunity that it's given for not only his platform but just a message for younger kids that if you do believe in something, do not be afraid because it's what you believe in, right, wrong, or indifferent.
"I think that speaks to all of us as a whole. We just need to come together and not judge each other based on what we believe in. More so, just helping each other do the right thing and help this country move forward. I think Nike is a great representation of that [...] I hope that [Kaepernick's] message gets conveyed the right way to where people are able to open their hearts and just listen to the message that he's trying to send and trying to help the world.
"He's not trying to bring us down. He's not trying to bring anybody down. He's not trying to set anyone back. He's trying to get everybody to mesh together and move forward so we can find resolutions to helping this world be better not only for us but our future."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Goodwin below.
