Big deal, low stats for 49ers’ new back
McKinnon gets $30 million to replace Hyde
A year after they fell head over heels for a free-agent fullback, the 49ers clearly became smitten with a free-agent running back.
On Wednesday, they opened the first day of the league year by signing the Vikings’ Jerick McKinnon to a four-year contract, which, according to multiple reports, is worth up to $30 million. McKinnon could occupy the lead-back role held the past three seasons by Carlos Hyde, who signed a three-year, $15 million deal with the Browns on Wednesday, NFL Network reported.
McKinnon enters a backfield that includes fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who joined the 49ers in 2017 after signing a four-year, $21 million deal that easily made him the NFL’s highest-paid
player at his position.
The 49ers said they valued Juszczyk because he wasn’t merely a fullback, but a versatile player with pass-catching ability who could line up at multiple positions. The same can be said for McKinnon, whose front-loaded contract doesn’t appear to match his modest NFL resume.
McKinnon’s deal includes $11.7 million fully guaranteed, all in 2018. His $7.5 million peryear average salary ranks fourth among running backs behind Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell, Atlanta’s Devonta Freeman and Buffalo’s LeSean McCoy, per OverTheCap.com.
Said general manager John Lynch: “Jerick has proven to be an extremely versatile football player whose speed, elusiveness and tackle-breaking ability make him a very difficult matchup for defenses.”
A 2014 third-round pick, McKinnon, 25, has been mostly a No. 2 back in a 14-start career that has included 1,918 rushing yards (4 yards a carry) and 984 receiving yards (6.9 yards a catch).
Last year, McKinnon had a career-high 991 total yards in a backup role. He averaged 3.8 yards a carry, which ranked 33rd among 48 running backs with at least 100 carries.
However, McKinnon, who is listed at 5-foot-9 and 205 pounds, has impressive physical traits and the 49ers presumably see him blossoming him in a bigger role. In that way, he could be similar to wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, another free agent they signed in 2017. Goodwin, a former Olympic long jumper with world-class speed, flourished with the 49ers after being used almost exclusively as a deep threat in his first four seasons.
McKinnon, who ran the sixth-fastest 40-yard dash at the 2014 combine (4.41), has a unique blend of speed and strength. At his combine, he also had 32 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press, which is the second-most among running backs since 2006.
His strength is reflected in advanced metrics that suggest he did well to average 3.8-yard per carry last year behind a middling run-blocking offensive line. According to Pro Football Focus, McKinnon forced a missed tackle once every 5.0 rushes (eighth in NFL) and was not tackled on first contact on 32 percent of his carries (10th).
The 49ers figure to make extensive use of his pass-catching ability, which is a must-have trait for running backs in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Last year, Hyde had 59 catches, 32 more this previous career best, but had nine drops and averaged 5.9 yards a catch. McKinnon (51 catches) had three drops and averaged 8.3 yards per reception.
McKinnon attended Georgia Southern, where he played in 2013 with 49ers running back Matt Breida. Last year, Breida, an undrafted rookie, had 465 rushing yards (4.4 per carry) and added 180 yards on 21 receptions.
The 49ers also have Joe Williams, a 2017 fourth-round pick who spent his first NFL season on injured reserve with an ankle injury. The 49ers viewed Williams as an ideal fit for Shanahan’s offense, but he had an underwhelming offseason before he was placed on IR after the final preseason game.
The 49ers also officially announced the signing of former Giants center/guard Weston Richburg, 26, to a five-year deal. The contract has a maximum value of $47.5 million, with $16.5 million fully guaranteed, NFL Network reported. Lynch did not indicate which position Richburg would play with the 49ers, who gave starting center Daniel Kilgore a relatively modest three-year contract extension in February.
“We see Weston as one of the top young interior offensive linemen in the NFL,” Lynch said. “His athleticism, intelligence and attitude are a perfect fit for our scheme.”