The San Francisco 49ers made a key offseason move by trading for running back Brian Robinson Jr. to help manage the workload of superstar Christian McCaffrey in 2025. McCaffrey, who turns 30 next year, is coming off an injury-plagued 2024 season that limited the former NFL Offensive Player of the Year to just 13 games.
Despite last season's setbacks, McCaffrey has been healthy throughout the offseason and training camp, and head coach Kyle Shanahan believes his All-Pro running back is poised for a bounce-back campaign. But will McCaffrey's age and injury history factor into the 49ers' usage of the running back?
"You take everything into account, but I don't try to think in absolutes," Shanahan said Thursday on Bay Area radio station KNBR. "I try not to think of just numbers on paper. I know numbers go with percentages and everything—and that's why you listen and pay attention to a lot of analytics—but you also go with your own eyes and your experience of that.
"I like to watch how a guy moves and how he is out there, and I see Christian looking the same as he always has looked. So, I don't really think about that number (his age) when it comes to that case. Now, if he started looking different, then I'd probably start questioning some things, and then I'd probably be looking at how old he is or look at that 30 thing.
"But Christian gives us no reason to think that. He came in healthy this year. He had a hell of an offseason, he's had a hell of a training camp, and I believe that's going to lead to a hell of a year."
49ers wanted another "starting-caliber" back
The addition of Robinson wasn't just about insurance—it was about adding another playmaker who could carry the offense when needed. Shanahan explained why the 49ers were aggressive in acquiring the former Washington Commanders running back.
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"I love running backs that, I always say, can run like a true starting running back, which means as a guy that you can win the game just handing the ball off to," Shanahan said. "They never can do it on their own, but if you have the blockers out there, you have the right scheme, and you've got a guy who can run hard, hit the right holes, not hesitate, always get more than what's blocked for because of his physicality, running through arm tackles, also good in the pass game, too.
"And just having an opportunity to get a guy like him, who I think is a very good starting running back in this league, and to be able to pair him with Christian, I think, goes a long way."
Bolstering depth after 2024 injuries
The 49ers' running back depth was heavily tested in 2024, a reminder of how quickly injuries can derail the backfield—and a team. By adding Robinson, Shanahan believes the team can maintain its offensive rhythm even when McCaffrey takes a breather.
"Now, when you have a really, really good back behind him, and we take Christian out and things like that, you're not so upset on all these plays because you know you've got a guy coming in there who you shouldn't miss a beat on," Shanahan noted. "Now, they do have different skill sets, and we are going to use them somewhat differently, but the one thing they have in common is they're both really good runners."
With McCaffrey healthy, Robinson in the mix, and Shanahan's run-heavy scheme, the 49ers look poised to field a backfield duo that could rank among the NFL's best.