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Christian McCaffrey Christian McCaffrey Downplays workload concerns
Fri, May 29, 2026, 10:14 AM
McCaffrey said after Thursday's OTAs that he's looking forward to sustaining another heavy workload in 2026, and that any reductions in touches should come in practice rather than games, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: "I think everything else can be monitored during the week or with a practice schedule or certain ways you train, whatever it may be," McCaffrey said. "But when it comes to game days, I like to think you prepare yourself for playing every snap." McCaffrey handled a career-high 413 touches during the 2025 regular season, leading the NFL in that category for the third time in his nine-year career. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said earlier in the offseason that the team would like to provide McCaffrey more help in the backfield to ensure the star running back stays fresh and effective down the stretch, but McCaffrey has no plans to cede a significant share of regular-season snaps to any of Jordan James, Kaelon Black, Isaac Guerendo (pectoral), Patrick Taylor, Jordan Mims or Jermar Jefferson, all of whom are competing for slotting behind McCaffrey on San Francisco's running back depth chart. |
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Goes to IR
Thu, May 28, 2026, 7:48 PM
San Francisco placed Forrest (undisclosed) on its injured reserve list Thursday.
Analysis: It's not clear what kind of injury Forrest is dealing with, but he's now on track to spend the entire 2026 season on IR unless he negotiates an injury settlement with the 49ers. His absence could open up more opportunities for rookie undrafted free agents Jalen Stroman and Larry Worth. |
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Says he'll be ready for the season
Thu, May 28, 2026, 7:10 PM
Bosa (knee) told reporters Thursday that he expects to be ready for training camp and the regular season, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Analysis: The five-time Pro Bowler is recovering from the torn ACL that he suffered during Week 3 of last season. Bosa underwent successful surgery last September after the injury and has offered nothing but positive updates since then. |
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Isaac Guerendo Isaac Guerendo Dealing with torn pectoral
Thu, May 28, 2026, 7:02 PM
Guerendo is not participating in OTAs due to a torn pectoral, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Analysis: The running back suffered the injury while lifting "about a month ago," per David Lombardi of SFStandard.com. Guerendo is expected back near the end of training camp, though he did already undergo surgery, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. The 2024 fourth-round pick did not receive a single carry in 2025 despite appearing in 14 regular-season games. |
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Jacob Cowing Jacob Cowing Playing during OTAs
Thu, May 28, 2026, 6:52 PM
Cowing (hamstring) is participating in OTAs, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Analysis: The wide receiver is not only participating, but he apparently looks good, per Maiocco, who called him a standout, and David Lombardi of SFStandard.com, who reported that coach Kyle Shanahan said he was impressed that Cowing was in such good shape. The 2024 fourth-round pick missed the 2025 campaign with a hamstring injury that he suffered in late August. |
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Jermar Jefferson Jermar Jefferson Signs with 49ers
Thu, May 28, 2026, 6:43 PM
Jefferson signed with the 49ers on Thursday.
Analysis: The running back played in two regular-season games for the Cardinals last year and a total of nine across the previous four regular seasons with the Lions. San Francisco's running back depth chart is led by Christian McCaffrey, Jordan James and Kaelon Black. |
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Jordan Mims Jordan Mims Signs with San Fran
Thu, May 28, 2026, 6:40 PM
San Francisco signed Mims to a one-year contract Thursday.
Analysis: Mims will now go to work with his third different team in as many years after spending the vast majority of last season on Tennessee's practice squad. While the 49ers' options at running back behind Christian McCaffrey are all unproven, 2025 fifth-rounder Jordan James, rookie third-rounder Kaelon Black and 2024 fourth-rounder Isaac Guerendo (pectoral) are all working with an advantage over Mims in terms of draft capital. |
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George Kittle George Kittle Still targeting Week 1
Wed, May 27, 2026, 9:20 AM
Kittle (Achilles) said Wednesday that he is still targeting the 49ers' regular-season opener against the Rams in Week 1 as his return date, Cameron DaSilva of USA Today reports.
Analysis: Kittle acknowledged the challenge of completing his rehab in time for Week 1, though he noted that "I was told it's not a crazy goal." Optimism surrounding his recovery has remained steady throughout the offseason, aided by the fact that he suffered what surgeon and team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache described as a "best-case scenario" Achilles tear near the soleus muscle, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. GM John Lynch said in late March that he's "hopeful" Kittle will be available Week 1. Still, given the timing of the injury he suffered during San Francisco's wild-card win over the Eagles in January and how capable No. 2 tight end Jake Tonges (foot) looked across his spot starts in 2025, the 49ers are expected to take caution with Kittle's recovery process. |
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Mac Jones Mac Jones Gets raise for 2026
Wed, May 27, 2026, 9:05 AM
Jones agreed to terms Wednesday on a contract restructure with the 49ers that adds a $300,000 roster bonus for 2026, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.
Analysis: Jones' contract for 2026 now stands at $3.55 million with another $2.25 million in incentives, a justified increase in salary after he went 5-3 as a starter in Brock Purdy's stead last year while completing 69.6 percent of his passes with an average attempt distance of 7.4 YPA, both career-high marks. After the 2026 campaign, Jones will be positioned for free agency. Jones has proven an ability to thrive in head coach Kyle Shanahan's offense and stands as one of the top insurance options in fantasy formats that allow multiple starting QBs. |
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Jordan James Jordan James Could be headed for No. 2 RB role
Fri, May 22, 2026, 6:19 PM
James "seems the most likely" of San Francisco's running backs behind Christian McCaffrey to earn the No. 2 role for the upcoming campaign, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports.
Analysis: Brian Robinson served as San Francisco's No. 2 back last season, but he's since joined Atlanta. That leaves James, Isaac Guerendo, rookie Kaelon Black, Patrick Taylor and Sincere McCormick to battle for position behind McCaffrey, who led the NFL with 413 regular-season touches last year. The 49ers may want to reduce McCaffrey's workload in 2026, but that could hinge on whether a reliable No. 2 back emerges from the above-mentioned group. Wagoner suggests that James has an inside track on the job based partly on his strong play during garbage time in the 49ers' blowout loss to Seattle in the NFC divisional round, when he rushed six times for 28 yards and caught his lone target for seven yards. That's a very small sample size and is far from a guarantee that James -- who didn't play until Week 16 last year -- will take hold of top backup role, though it's worth noting that Guerendo, who may be James' biggest competition for the job, appeared in 14 regular-season games in 2025 but didn't log a single snap on offense. |
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Kurtis Rourke Kurtis Rourke Ready for minicamp
Thu, May 7, 2026, 6:22 PM
Rourke (knee) will participate in rookie minicamp starting Friday, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.
Analysis: Rourke was drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but because he spent the entire season on the reserve/non-football injury list as he recovered from a torn ACL he suffered in his final year at Indiana, he'll be eligible to participate in rookie minicamp. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Rourke is competing with Adrian Martinez -- who has played one snap since entering the league in 2023 -- to be the No. 3 QB behind Brock Purdy and Mac Jones. |
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De'Zhaun Stribling De'Zhaun Stribling Pick motivated by intangibles?
Thu, May 7, 2026, 9:20 AM
The 49ers' selection of Stribling at No. 33 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft was partially motivated by the organization's strong belief in his personality, leadership and work ethic, according to Matt Barrow of The Athletic.
Analysis: It also doesn't hurt to have 4.36 speed at 6-foot-2, 207 pounds. Mock drafters nonetheless projected Stribling as a mid-round pick, for the most part, due to concerns about age (24 in December) and his lack of an elite statistical season in college (career highs of 882 yards and six TDs). Reasonable arguments both, though the latter concern is somewhat mitigated by his combination of early success (44-471-5 in 2021 at Washington State) and strong cumulative production (2,964 career receiving yards across three schools). It sounds like the 49ers are even more impressed by Stribling's intangibles/personality, having given him their "gold helmet" label -- a designation they use each year for a handful of prospects viewed as the best culture fits. The franchise clearly is invested in Stribling's success, but his immediate future may entail a not-so-glamorous competition for the No. 3 WR job in an offense that prefers FB Kyle Juszczyk over a third WR outside of clear passing situations. The 49ers also have Christian Kirk, Demarcus Robinson and 2025 fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins hoping to compete for depth roles behind Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall, both of whom missed large portions of 2025. |
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Kaelon Black Kaelon Black In RB2 mix behind CMC
Mon, May 4, 2026, 10:11 AM
Black is set to compete with recent draft picks Jordan James and Isaac Guerendo for backup touches behind Christian McCaffrey, Grant Gordon of NFL.com reports.
Analysis: Black was viewed by many as a reach in the third round, though 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan defended the pick by saying the team viewed Black as the second-best running back in the 2026 Draft class behind third overall pick Jeremiyah Love. San Francisco hasn't had much success drafting running backs in recent years and has yet to get much production out of James (a 2025 fifth-round pick) or Guerendo (a 2024 fourth-round pick). McCaffrey remains the team's undisputed lead back while healthy. |
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George Kittle George Kittle Aiming to play Week 1
Thu, Apr 30, 2026, 1:22 PM
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Thursday that Kittle (Achilles) is aiming to be ready for the 49ers' Week 1 game against the Rams, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.
Analysis: This has been the sentiment all offseason after Kittle suffered a "clean" tear near the soleus muscle higher up on the Achilles in the 49ers' wild-card win over Philadelphia back in January, which typically results in a quicker rehab process. Working against Kittle, however, is his advanced age (32 years old) and just eight months between the injury and Week 1. The 49ers are surely going to be careful with Kittle and not rush him back just to have him at less than 100 percent for the first game of the 2026 season. Jake Tonges (foot) would be next in line at tight end if Kittle isn't ready to face Los Angeles in four months. |
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Joining 49ers
Tue, Apr 28, 2026, 7:55 PM
The 49ers signed McMorris to a one-year deal Tuesday, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: McMorris spent the 2025 campaign on the Cardinals practice squad but didn't appear in any games. The 24-year-old will now spend the remainder of the offseason competing for a spot on San Francisco's final roster. |
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Sincere McCormick Sincere McCormick Signs with Niners
Mon, Apr 27, 2026, 6:41 PM
McCormick signed with the 49ers on Monday, David Lombardi of SFStandard.com reports.
Analysis: McCormick spent time with San Francisco during the 2025 campaign, though he never appeared in a regular-season game. His last regular-season appearance came in 2024 with the Raiders, when he played in five contests and on 84 offensive snaps. |
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Headed to San Francisco
Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 4:48 PM
The 49ers signed Dinkins as an undrafted free agent Sunday.
Analysis: Dinkins caught 37 passes for 399 yards and seven touchdowns across his four seasons at Penn State. With George Kittle (Achilles) and Jake Tonges (foot) both dealing with injuries, Dinkins could have a chance to make the team's final roster. |
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Headed to San Francisco
Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 4:46 PM
The 49ers signed Pauling as an undrafted free agent Sunday.
Analysis: Pauling ended his final college season at Notre Dame, starting six games at wide receiver for the Fighting Irish. The 23-year-old accumulated 26 receptions for 381 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns over 12 contests as a fifth-year senior. Pauling's speed and quickness provide upside as a special teams producer that can also develop offensive value. If he wants to survive the 49ers' cut-down day, he will have to make his versatile potential clear in training camp. |
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Signs with San Francisco
Sun, Apr 26, 2026, 4:40 PM
The 49ers signed Grimes as an undrafted free agent Sunday.
Analysis: Grimes played two years at Wake Forest before transferring to North Carolina State for his final two collegiate seasons. The wide receiver caught 29 receptions for 430 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns over 12 games during the 2025 season. Grimes is in for a tough training camp as he attempts to climb up the 49ers depth chart, currently topped by offseason addition Mike Evans. |
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Selected by San Francisco
Sat, Apr 25, 2026, 2:55 PM
The 49ers selected Cruz in the fifth round of the 2026 NFL Draft, 179th overall.
Analysis: Cruz (6-foot-6, 313 pounds) might lack the size and reach (33 and 3/4-inch arms) to stick at tackle, but the Kansas product is extremely athletic and might be able to develop into a noteworthy guard if tackle doesn't work out. It didn't work out at tackle when Cruz was at Syracuse from 2021 to 2024 -- he was benched as left tackle after starting there in his sophomore and junior years. Cruz played right tackle with more success for Kansas, but his 4.9 speed and 35-inch vertical still might work better at guard. |
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