49ers' Backfield: Guerendo's Fate Hangs in Draft Balance

0:00On April 4th, the San Francisco 49ers running back room stayed drama-free last season because Christian McCaffrey and Brian Robinson, Jr. both avoided injuries all year. That men Ricky Isaac Garendo barely saw the field, even though he flashed skills when injuries opened doors. Coach Kyle Shanahan straight up said, Garendo wasn't their number two option behind McCaffrey. Shanahan dropped this at the NFL annual meetings, explaining how they planned for Garendo to step up if needed, but health kept that from happening. Without a true pass catching back up like what McCaffrey brings, the team leaned hard on their star and never eased his load. Fans and analysts see this as a red flag for Garendo, who's now stuck behind Jordan James and special team's guy, Patrick Taylor Jr. The 49ers skipped signing a veteran-free agent early, leaving their depth thin and real questions about who can spell McCaffrey. They're eyeing the draft to grab another back, which puts Garendo on shaky ground heading into camp.

1:00No strong praise from Shanahan means he might not crack the 53 man roster or even practice squad. Expect the 49ers to build out that backfield soon, keeping McCaffrey fresh for another run deep into playoffs. Stay locked in with NFL News Today, AI-powered updates.