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The 49ers have a slew of pending free agents who likely won’t return for the 2021 season. It sounds like fullback Kyle Juszczyk wants to be among the group that will come back.
Juszczyk said in early December he’s only had informal discussions with the 49ers about a return. There’s no long-term deal on the table per the fullback.
While head coach Kyle Shanahan designs the offense that leans heavily on Juszczyk because of his skill set, it was running backs coach Bobby Turner who got the attention when the fullback showed up for his video conference wearing a t-shirt with Turner’s face and a popular saying of his on it.
“I’ve had a great four years now with the same position coach, a guy that knows me, I know him, and we have a good understanding,” Juszczyk told reporters about Turner per the Sacramento Bee. “It makes for a really good work environment. So that’s definitely something I can’t put a discount on. I definitely have really, really enjoyed my time with Bobby T, learning from him and would love to continue to work with my guy.”
There aren’t a lot of teams using fullbacks as frequently as the 49ers use theirs. Some teams, like the Los Angeles Rams, don’t even roster a fullback. Juszczyk’s important to what Shanahan wants to do on offense is reflected in the four-year, $21 million deal he got from the 49ers when Shanahan became the head coach in 2017. His $5.25 million average annual value is $2 million more than the second highest paid fullback.
Juszczyk is an important player for San Francisco. They run 21 personnel (two running backs, one tight end) the second-most in the league. They ran by far the highest rate of 21 personnel in the NFL the previous two seasons. That’s made possible by their do-everything fullback.
There are a few players the 49ers simply can’t let walk. Juszczyk is one of them, and it sounds like there’s mutual interest in his return beyond the 2020 campaign.