49ers’ backs solidify run game
Jeff Wilson’s 183 rushing yards last game locked him in as the 49ers’ leading rusher this season. Not a bad way to seek a pay raise on a team that will be pinching pennies this offseason.
Wilson now has 524 yards this season (106 carries) and coach Kyle Shanahan said he’s “excited to see him out there Sunday,” when the 49ers (6-9) host the Seattle Seahawks (11- 4) at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
Wilson’s stats assure him of finishing just ahead of Raheem Mostert, who has nearly identical numbers (521 yards, 104 carries) but is on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
Of all the potential issues swirling around the 49ers’ 2021 plans, they’re set with their top two running backs in Mostert and Wilson.
“I’m very excited about those guys. Everyone knows how good they’ve done once healthy,” Shanahan said Friday on a video conference from Glendale, Ariz., where the 49ers relocated a month ago because of Santa Clara County’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Wilson is the fourth different rusher to lead the 49ers in as many seasons under Shanahan, following Carlos Hyde (2017), Matt Breida (‘ 18) and Mostert (‘19). Not that anyone is complaining. And not that anyone can compare to Frank Gore’s team-leading run from 2005-14.
Wilson arrived as an undrafted rookie in 2018 on a deal that guaranteed only $10,000. Now he stands to double his career earnings ($1.6 million) as a restricted free agent next season. He could draw a one-year, $3.4 million deal on a second-round tender if the 49ers want to protect against losing him on the lowest-round tender ($2.24 million), according to tender salary projections from OverTheCap.com.
“When I was first coming in undrafted, I didn’t get a lot of playing time, and when I did play was special teams,” Wilson recalled after Saturday’s win. “Those were my roles and I was happy with it. But deep down, you want more for yourself.”
Wilson has scored a career-high eight touchdowns this season (six rushing, two receiving). He practiced well this week after last game’s busy day, Shanahan said.
Mostert looked better than ever, in Shanahan’s eyes, until a Week 6 high ankle sprain torpedoed his season. He is set to make a $3 million salary in the final year of his contract next year, so carrying him and Wilson is reasonable, if not necessary.
Mostert played only half of this season because of knee and ankle injuries; Wilson missed three games with a high ankle sprain plus another as a healthy scratch.
This could be the final game for Jerick McKinnon and Tevin Coleman in 49ers uniforms. Both are pending free agents, and Shanahan noted he still likes them “a lot.” McKinnon has 319 rushing yards and 247 receiving yards in his comeback from 2018 and ‘19 knee surgeries. Coleman has 53
yards on 28 carries in a season derailed by a Week 2 knee injury (and predictable run calls).
The 49ers likely will need to unearth a few young prospects next spring to serve as backups, as they did this year with JaMycal Hasty, who impressed as an undrafted rookie before breaking his collarbone on Oct. 15.
NOT LOOKING AHEAD » C. J. Beathard, the only quarterback drafted in the 49ers’ four seasons under Shanahan, is among the dozens of pending free agents on the 49ers’ roster.
But Beathard is focused on Sunday’s second straight start rather than his potential free agency in March. Shanahan, earlier this week, said he’d be “happy” and “fortunate” to re-sign Beathard and Nick Mullens as potential backups to Jimmy Garoppolo.
“That’s so far ahead. I haven’t even started thinking about that,” said Beathard, a 2017 third-round pick from Iowa. “I’m really just focused on this game, and, yeah, I’ve got one more this season with these guys.”
In beating Arizona 2012 last Saturday, he threw three touchdown passes, had no interceptions, one lost fumble, three sacks and three carries (18 yards). Seahawks coach Pete Carroll saw the same, saying of Beathard this past week: “He did just what they needed him to — a bunch of touchdowns and real sharp.”
As a third- string quarterback who had struggled in chances to start in 2017 and 2018, Beathard was not bound for a big payday this spring before his solid Week 16 performance. He still may not be in line for a big-time deal, but another quality start would boost his free agency profile, even if he’d rather not think about it until after the season.
Josh Rosen likely will back up Beathard a second straight game, but Shanahan noted he’d like to also play Josh Johnson if roster room allows for Saturday’s practice squad elevation. INJURY STATUS » Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (calf strain) was a surprise addition to those ruled out for Sunday’s game. Also out are defensive linemen Javon Kinlaw and Kevin Givens; cornerbacks K’Waun Williams and Richard Sherman; and wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.
Questionable are safety Tarvarius Moore, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and linebacker Mark Nzeocha.
As for the Seahawks, they ruled out running back DeeJay Dallas (ankle) and cornerback Jayson Stanley (hamstring).
Seattle running back Carlos Hyde (illness) and guard Mike Iupati (neck), a pair of former 49ers, are questionable, as are tight end Greg Olsen (foot), safety Damarious Randall (foot), and offensive tackle Brandon Shell (ankle and contact tracing).
VERRETT’S MATCHUP » Cornerback Jason Verrett, after excelling last game against Arizona’s DeAndre Hopkins, anticipates a similar battle Sunday with Seattle’s D.K. Metcalf.
“It’s going to be another one of those battles like it was last week with physicality, jump balls and the 50-50 catches,” he said. “It’s one of those games you have to put the big-boy pads on and play big.”
Verrett said his top matchups this season have come against Buffalo’s Stefon Diggs, Hopkins, Metcalf and Washington’s Terry McLaurin.
NEW NO. 7 » Kicker Tristan Vizcaino, who’ll likely fill in for Robbie Gould on Sunday, has been assigned No. 7, famously worn by Colin Kaepernick from 2011-16. Vizcaino was signed to the practice squad and will be elevated Saturday if Gould remains on the COVID-19 reserve list, as expected.
HYDER’S FUTURE » Defensive lineman Kerry Hyder Jr. could parlay his teamhigh 8 ½ sacks into free agency riches. While he said he’d like to see the “rewards” for his hard work, he added that he’s enjoyed his first season with the 49ers and a reunion with Kris Kocurek, who also coached him on the Detroit Lions’ line.
“I love playing for Coach Kris and I love being here with the 49ers. I’m always thinking about that,” Hyder said. “But the offseason is going to take care of itself.”
TRANSACTIONS » Left tackle Trent Williams (elbow) and defensive end Jordan Willis (ankle) went on injured reserve. Called up from the practice squad was defensive lineman Alex Barrett, a Stanford product who helped seal Saturday’s win with a hit on the Cardinals’ final offensive play that appeared to injure Kyler Murray’s leg.
KITTLE RECORD FALLS » George Kittle will look next season to recapture the single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end, a mark he set in 2018 (1,377 yards) and one surpassed this season by the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce (1,416 yards).
“I’m happy he broke my record because it gives me something else to go after again next year. That’s what I’m looking forward to,” said Kittle, whose injuries this season have limited him to seven games, 41 catches, 566 yards and two touchdowns.
Kelce is 43 yards behind Diggs for the NFL lead, and Kittle called it awesome that Kelce could become the first tight end to ever lead the league in receiving yards. Kelce has 105 receptions, 11 shy of the single-season record for a tight end, set in 2019 by the Philadelphia Eagles’ Zach Ertz ( Monte Vista High-Danville; Stanford).