The 49ers early in the offseason restructured running back Jerick McKinnon’s contract to keep him on the team at a discount for the 2020 season.
Keeping the veteran on the roster comes with a small risk since he’s missed the last two seasons with knee injuries. However, their additional offseason of investment in McKinnon appears to be paying off. He posted a video on Instagram of himself and a partner going through workouts and agility drills:
https://www.instagram.com/tv/B-DgV__h3ik/?igshid=1enz82waaotgy
McKinnon was medically cleared at the end of last season, and his return to form looks to be heading the right direction.
San Francisco signed McKinnon in the 2018 offseason to a four-year deal worth up to $30 million because they wanted him to be their lead running back. While knee injuries took his last two seasons, the fact remains he was brought in by head coach Kyle Shanahan with a purpose. It makes a lot of sense that the 49ers will continue giving him chances to compete for a job since he was supposed to be the focal point of the offense prior to his injury.
If he can stay healthy and return to something close to his peak form, there’s a real chance he carves out a significant role in a talented 49ers’ backfield.
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