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Since the beginning of the offseason, San Francisco 49ers running back
Jordan Mason has made the most of his opportunities, earning praise for his hard-nosed, physical running style that embodied an NFL player.
However, due to a variety of circumstances, Mason has yet to see significant NFL action.
After
Elijah Mitchell suffered a sprained MCL in Week 1, Mason could've seen opportunities behind Jeff Wilson in San Francisco's running back rotation, given his performance in the offseason and style of play.
But, the 49ers opted for a different direction, utilizing Wilson as a bell-cow back, significantly decreasing the team's efficiency on the ground, before involving veteran Tevin Coleman, who had a short stint on the active roster.
Instead, Mason was relegated to special-teams action only, even with fellow rookie
Tyrion Davis-Price nursing an injury of his own.
San Francisco certainly could've benefitted from Mason's approach, given the stacked boxes they faced with their one-dimensional rushing attack under Jeff Wilson, but went a different direction and took a hit offensively.
Then, the 49ers made a huge move, trading for
Christian McCaffrey, which placed Mason further down the depth chart. While Jeff Wilson Jr. was moved at the deadline to the Miami Dolphins, Elijah Mitchell returned following the bye week, keeping Mason as the third running back on the depth chart.
However, the rookie out of Georgia Tech saw action towards the end of San Francisco's 38-10 blowout over the Arizona Cardinals, rushing four times for 14 yards, but showcasing his physicality with a strong eight-yard carry.
Then, following the unfortunate injury to Elijah Mitchell and some knee irritation to Christian McCaffrey, Mason saw his most substantial load yet, rushing for 25 yards on five attempts against a strong Saints defense.
With Mitchell's injury and McCaffrey's soreness, Mason will step into the backup role for the 49ers with the potential of extra carries if the latter's injury worsens over the week.
Mason has made the most of every opportunity he's received and now will finally get a chance to shine and showcase why the 49ers were high on his potential when they elected to keep him on the 53-man roster.
Mitchell will likely be sidelined for the majority of the regular season, if not more, meaning McCaffrey, Mason, and Tyrion Davis-Price will be San Francisco's three active running backs, barring any unforeseen moves.
In Week 12, of Mason's 25 yards, 18 came after contact, showcasing his skillset, which will come in handy as San Francisco looks to maintain their diverse offensive rushing attack following the early season efficiency struggles.
The San Francisco 49ers are holding their local pro day today at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara. The team has released the full roster of participants.
An NFL local pro day is an event hosted by teams to allow prospects with ties to the local area to showcase their skills in front of team personnel. These prospects typically hail from nearby colleges or have some other connection to the region where the team is based. Head coach Kyle Shanahan, general manager John Lynch, and a contingent of coaches, executives, and scouts will be on hand to evaluate prospective draftees during the 49ers' local pro day.
The event aims to give the team a closer look at these local talents who may have received less attention during the regular scouting process. It will allow the
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
The San Francisco 49ers are hosting several draft prospects this week as the deadline for pre-draft visits draws near. According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2, the team will host former Western Kentucky wide receiver Malachi Corley on Wednesday.
Corley is expected to be a Day 2 pick. San Francisco owns two selections on Day 2—the No. 63 overall pick in the second round and the No. 94 overall pick in the third round. Currently, the receiver is visiting with the Seattle Seahawks.
Western Kentucky @WKUFootball receiver Malachi Worley
Ian Rapoport didn't offer much of an update on the ongoing contract negotiations between the San Francisco 49ers and their standout wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk. However, the NFL insider emphasized one thing: The team is not entertaining trade discussions at this juncture.
Reacting to Aiyuk's decision to unfollow the 49ers on Instagram, Rapoport couldn't help but chuckle at the latest development. This practice has become commonplace among players who are unhappy with their contract situations. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel similarly took this action in 2022 before requesting to be traded just before the draft.
Things have yet to escalate that far with Aiyuk, but Rapoport sees his
