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With training camp in full swing, the San Francisco 49ers are looking for reinforcements on offense. They have Christian McCaffrey as the main running back, but the depth next to him needs to improve, especially if he gets injured. The biggest reason is that, as good as McCaffrey has been, he has been known to get injured, and head coach Kyle Shanahan has a running back-focused offensive system.
NFL Network Insider Mike Garafolo reported Wednesday that the 49ers were working out free agent running backs Jeff Wilson Jr. and D'Ernest Johnson. What makes this intriguing is that Wilson Jr. got his start in the NFL after signing with the 49ers in 2018, after being an undrafted free agent. He then went to the Dolphins for three seasons, and now a homecoming could be on the horizon.
Garafolo's post on X said: The 49ers worked out veteran RBs Jeff Wilson Jr. and D'Ernest Johnson today, sources tell me and Ian Rapoport. Wilson was with San Francisco from 2018-22, then spent the last two-plus seasons with former Kyle Shanahan assistant Mike McDaniel with the Dolphins.
The 49ers worked out eight different players in total, including RB Ameer Abdullah, QB Carter Bradley, WR Marquez Callaway, WR Andy Isabella, RB Deon Jackson, RB D'Ernest Johnson, and WR Cornell Powell, in addition to Jeff Wilson Jr., too.
Wilson was seen as a solid player after he was brought into San Francisco out of North Texas. It was also an excellent fit for Wilson with the 49ers, with him totaling 1,733 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns through his five seasons.
Over his career, Wilson has amassed 2,370 rushing yards and 23 total touchdowns while recording 585 receiving yards and averaging 4.5 yards per carry. He is preparing to enter his eighth NFL season, and the 49ers seem like an ideal fit for him to extend his career.
Kyle Shanahan's offensive scheme and system are predicated on the run game, and the blocking scheme allows running backs to flourish.
Isaac Guerendo is expected to be McCaffrey's primary backup after Jordan Mason was traded to the Minnesota Vikings. However, they also picked Jordan James out of Oregon in the fifth round. Out of Cincinnati, Corey Kiner is another undrafted rookie at running back who the 49ers seem to like.
The reunion with Jeff Wilson Jr. is not set in stone, but the fact that the 49ers looked into it means it's not out of the realm of possibility. In this offense, the more running backs, the better, especially if they're someone who knows the system.
