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One of the burning questions of the early offseason was whether the 49ers would retain running back Carlos Hyde, who was set to become a free agent, or move in a different direction. We now know it’s the latter.
On Wednesday morning — hours before free agency officially kicked off at 1 p.m. — the 49ers reportedly signed former Minnesota Viking Jerick McKinnon to a four-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Scheffer. The specifics of the deal include a potential of $36.9 million with $14.3 million guaranteed, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Aaron Wilson.
One hour earlier, Hyde had reportedly signed with the Cleveland Browns for a three-year deal worth up to $15 million, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
For many 49ers fans, the initial reaction was that the 49ers dug deep into their pockets for a player whose career production doesn’t warrant the money. McKinnon has never eclipsed 600 rushing yards or 1,000 all-purpose yards in a season throughout his four-year career.
But the new-look 49ers backfield is much more equipped for Kyle Shanahan’s offense with Hyde out and McKinnon in.
In Minnesota, McKinnon was a rotational piece stuck in a difficult situation, battling dominant ball-carriers Adrian Peterson and Latavius Murray for playing time. McKinnon’s primary role was as a pass-catcher — he caught 51 of 68 targets last season— but provides a well-rounded option out of the backfield.
Pro Football Focus gave McKinnon its seventh-highest receiving grade last year amongst running backs. He also scored as PFF’s eighth-best pass protector out of all running backs. And he’s durable — McKinnon has missed only one game in the past three seasons.
Anyone who has watched the 25-year-old running back knows he is a big-play threat any time he touches the ball. The very terms of the McKinnon deal prove he was a hot commodity around the league, and it would only take a lucrative offer to sign him. Contract specialist Paraag Marathe smartly incentivized the deal so that McKinnon progressively earns more money if he plays deeper into his four-year deal.
Throughout this historic offseason, John Lynch and Shanahan have made one thing clear: if the player fits, pay him. And with the 49ers surplus of cap space, they had the financial resources to pay McKinnon— for perhaps more than many originally expected— to ensure they got their guy.
Jimmy Garoppolo should always serve as the reference point before any 49ers fan viscerally reacts to an offensive signing. Signing Garoppolo to the richest contract of all-time means tailoring future acquisitions to his strengths within Shanahan’s dynamic offense.
It’s all about the fit.
McKinnon — one of the fastest running backs in the league— operating in one of the NFL’s most creative and innovative offenses is an exciting prospect.
The former Viking will now join second-year running back Matt Breida, another shifty playmaker, to headline the 49ers backfield. The ‘Jerick McKinnon-Matt Breida 1-2 punch’ doesn’t sound like the most dominant combination, but give it some time.
The same could have been said about the ‘Devonta Freeman-Tevin Coleman’ combination when Shanahan arrived in Atlanta in 2015. In Shanahan’s first year as Falcons offensive coordinator, Freeman amassed more than 1,600 all-purpose yards after underperforming in his rookie season.
One year later, Shanahan molded the Falcons into the highest-scoring offense in the league. With the second-year Coleman more involved, he and Freeman combined for 2,482 total yards in the 2016-17 season that nearly ended in a Super Bowl LI win.
Great coaches find, and maximize, talent specifically tailored to their system.
Dion Lewis, the most coveted running back of this free agent class, is a perfect example. After he bounced around three teams throughout the first two years of his career, he joined the Patriots as an obscure pickup. New England deployed him beside Tom Brady in a pass-friendly offense and watched him progressively blossom into one of the league’s most dynamic backs for the following three years.
Last season, Hyde, hardly known for his pass-catching ability, caught a career-high 59 passes for 350 yards in Shanahan’s first year as 49ers head coach. McKinnon caught eight fewer passes for 101 more yards last season in Minnesota.
The newest 49ers running back is a much better fit in an offense built around Garoppolo.
No career is a straight path. Often times it takes a player a few years before finding the perfect fit to realize his potential.
That could very well be the case for McKinnon, who is worth every penny of his potential $36.9 million earnings, as the 49ers continue their ongoing efforts to win now.
Brad Almquist is KNBR’s 49ers beat writer. Follow Brad on Twitter @bquist13