49ers roster recap: Running back depth in flux going into free agency

The 49ers roster could look quite different at running back going into training camp.

The 49ers’ backfield in 2019 featured three players that ran for more than 500 yards. Keeping that backfield intact going into the 2020 season seems like an easy call from a team-building standpoint, but San Francisco is going to have some decisions to make regarding their running backs as part of a host of moves that’ll determine how many of their key free agents they’ll be able to re-sign.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers offense rode their terrific run game to the Super Bowl last year, but a quick assessment of their backfield going into the offseason shows that big changes are more likely than the entire group returning.

Raheem Mostert, 27-years old

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Mostert in 2019 emerged as an essential piece of the 49ers’ backfield moving into 2020. That probably wasn’t the role the team envisioned for him when they signed him to a three-year deal last offseason, but the special teams ace undoubtedly left the season as the team’s No. 1 option at running back. His ability to contribute in multiple facets will make him a valuable member of the roster going forward. Mostert should see a consistent role in the run game though after averaging 6.0 yards per carry on 171 attempts over the last two seasons.

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