Looking ahead …
Some of the 49ers’ biggest decisions will come at running back this offseason. If they do wind up letting Breida walk and cutting both McKinnon and Coleman, they’ll be left with just Mostert and Wilson. Chances are if they cut one of McKinnon or Coleman they’d keep the other, but McKinnon is still far from a sure thing after two years nursing a knee injury, and Coleman was wildly inconsistent last season.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and running backs coach Bobby Turner have been tremendous at finding backs late in drafts and in free agency that can produce in Shanahan’s system. However, relying on a rookie or two, or a new veteran to help carry a group that was one of the league’s deepest last season may not be a great strategy for once again boasting a dominant rushing attack.
There’s a world where they opt to keep all of their backs, bring in an undrafted free agent or late-round pick, and let everyone compete for roster spots and playing time. That wouldn’t provide the most financial flexibility, but it would give them the best opportunity to replicate a run game that carried San Francisco to the Super Bowl.