The San Francisco 49ers have been hit by the injury bug over the past few years, with injuries to Christian McCaffrey being the most prevalent of the bunch. When McCaffrey takes the field, many argue the 29-year-old ranks not only as the best running back in the NFL but possibly the best offensive player overall.
To stay smart, the 49ers traded for Brian Robinson Jr., who is expected to play a significant role with the team. When speaking about what his role might be, head coach Kyle Shanahan stated that he expects him to be the No. 2 back.
“We brought him here to be our two back. Always been a big fan of Brian,” Shanahan said, per 49ers WebZone. “Loved him coming out of college. He’s done really well going against him, and we were pumped that he was available and we were pumped that we were able to get him.”
According to NFL Insider Mike Garofalo of NFL Network, it’s also possible that the 49ers will have McCaffrey and Robinson on the field at the same time.Â
McCaffrey can work in a few different ways, as well as Robinson.Â
“Brian Robinson is en route to the Bay Area to take a physical and finalize the trade,” Garafolo posted on X. “The #49ers, who have been working to add backfield depth, envision often utilizing him and Christian McCaffrey on the field at the same time.”
49ers’ 2025 Season Hinges on Christian McCaffrey’s health
While adding Robinson was a wise decision for the San Francisco 49ers, they shouldn’t expect to be a great team if McCaffrey isn’t fully ready to go.Â
According to Trent Williams, one of the other 49ers stars, he believes that McCaffrey is right back where he once was. He even said that he looks like the Offensive Player of the Year version of himself, which is excellent news for the 49ers.
âObviously yâall got eyes like I do,â Williams said, per Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area. âChristian looks fantastic. He looks like Offensive Player of the Year Christian. Thatâs really refreshing to see, knowing what he had to deal with last year. Just the little knicks and knacks and not being able to do what he loves.âÂ
49ers Excited to Have Christian McCaffrey
The San Francisco 49ers open up the season on Sept. 7 against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle. This will be an opportunity for the 49ers to go out and prove instantly that they’re much better than they were a year ago.Â
On paper, the 49ers have a very favorable schedule, especially if players like McCaffrey are healthy.Â
Shanahan recently said that he looks great, which was another indication that everything seems to be more than fine heading into the year.Â
“Yeah. I think he hit like 25 (MPH) yesterday or something like that. I’m just making that up. Trying to make Christian happy. He’s doing awesome. He’s as fast as he’s been. He’s quick. He’s strong. He’s Christian McCaffrey.”
Of course, until McCaffrey proves on the field that he’s as healthy as everybody is suggesting he is, there will be questions, but the early signs have been promising.
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