Kyle Shanahan explains why Jordan Mason hasn’t seen much playing time for the 49ers.

 

 

The running back situation for the San Francisco 49ers has been one to keep an eye on all season, as star Christian McCaffrey leads the league in rushing yards, but his proclivity for catching passes in the air has required the team to be efficient with his snaps.

This has resulted in a few touches for backups Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason, with head coach Kyle Shanahan previously noting the need for greater balance, though it’s difficult to pull a player of McCaffrey’s caliber off the field.

Last Sunday, McCaffrey received 16 of the team’s 27 carries, but he was more involved in the passing game, with six catches for 47 yards on ten targets.

Using McCaffrey in space more often is a better strategy since it puts less strain on his body than sprinting up the center into traffic.

But how did the 49ers distribute the remaining 11 carries?

Elijah Mitchell led the way with eight carries for 23 yards, while Deebo Samuel had three for 29 yards and a touchdown.

James Harrison had a falling out with Commissioner Roger Goodell.

However, one name was missing from the list: running back Jordan Mason, who played only three plays despite the fact that the game was already out of hand.

This season, Mason’s lack of playing time has been somewhat of a surprise, as the running back has ran for 5.6 yards per carry on 21 attempts but has relinquished the No. 2 spot to Elijah Mitchell, who has been far less efficient with only 73 yards on 30 tries.

 

 

There are a few reasons for the backups’ efficiency disparity, but the fact remains: Mason has been useful when on the field. So why hasn’t this resulted in greater playing time?

Speaking to reporters ahead of the 49ers’ Week 12 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, head coach Kyle Shanahan explained that it’s not a trust issue, but rather a preference issue, as the 49ers favor McCaffrey and Mitchell over Mason.

“Why would [trust] be a problem?” Shanahan wondered. “To get more there, two guys in front of him would have to get hurt.” They come in threes. You’re insinuating that I don’t trust him or something, based on the question, so I’m trying to figure out what you’re asking.”

When asked about the efficiency gap, Shanahan shifted the focus away from numbers and toward Mitchell’s track record.

“We look at more than just statistics. Mitchell is our backup running back. He’s done some great things here, and while JP is our three, he’s also been our two at times. But that’s how most situations in the NFL go,” Shanahan explained.

Mitchell does have a solid track record in San Francisco, having never mishandled the ball in his career, which Shanahan and the 49ers value highly.

However, he has had a number of ailments over his 49ers career, whereas Mason has a different skill set and is more of a powerback.

 

 

The 49ers do need to find methods to keep their top players healthier, which might come from Jordan Mason taking advantage of some of those extra opportunities.

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Coach Reveals 49ers Plan to Re-Sign ‘Most Respected’ Veteran

Jason Verrett has returned. On Friday, San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan announced that the 49ers want to add Verrett, who was released from the Houston Texans’ practice squad earlier this week, to their own practice squad.

The 49ers had Verrett, a 32-year-old veteran with seven injury-plagued seasons, in for a workout this week and aim to sign him once the upcoming Week 11 game against Tampa Bay is over. Nothing is official yet, according to Shanahan.

“We’ll work through that over the weekend and see where it ends up for next week,” Shanahan said during a press conference on Friday.

 

 

Shanahan also stated that there is a personal reason for Verrett to return to San Francisco, where he played with the 49ers from 2019 to 21 but was limited to only 15 games in three years due to a string of ailments.

“I think you know how I feel about J.V., so it’s incredible that he’s even back and able to do that stuff.” So, if we have the opportunity, we’d love to bring him in here,” Shanahan said.

Injuries plagued Jason Verrett. Playing for the San Francisco 49ers

Verrett was a Pro Bowl cornerback for San Diego (there used to be a franchise there) in 2015, with three interceptions and 12 passes defended.

Then the injuries began. It started with his ACL in 2016. In 2017, he had yet another knee surgery. It was a torn Achilles tendon on the first day of training camp in 2018.

He was traded to the 49ers in 2019 and sustained a devastating ankle injury in the season opener. He appeared in 13 games in 2020 before tearing his ACL in the first game of 2021. He was supposed to make his debut in November 2022, but he tore his Achilles tendon again.

Verrett followed former 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans to Houston but was not called up to the 53-man roster. Now he’ll be in a similar predicament when he arrives in San Francisco.

‘One of the Most Respected Guys We’ve Had,’ says Kyle Shanahan.

Shanahan stated that the 49ers appreciate Verrett for reasons other than his guts and resolve to return to the field. The 49ers see him as a player who can help mentor the team’s younger defensive backs, which has been one of the team’s few vulnerabilities this season.

“(Jason Verrett) has been one of the most respected guys we’ve had in our building,” he added. “Just the way he carries himself, how talented he is, and just look at his footwork and how he played with us, as if guys looked up to him in that way.” I believe he was a mentor to many young men, but it was his perseverance and demeanor that they admired.”

Shanahan said that the 49ers organized a workout for Verrett earlier in the season, and because he is so popular, several players went up to cheer him on.

“I’ve never seen, when he did work out here, the first time about a month ago or whatever it was, we had about seven players just go out and watch it, which I’ve never seen that before,” he remarked. “So, it just shows how our team felt about him.”