How Mason’s strong fielding so far complicates the 49ers’ RB hierarchy originally appeared in NBC Sports Bay Area
Christian McCaffrey is unquestionably the 49ers’ best running back, but could Jordan Mason be on track to claim the second spot normally held by Elijah Mitchell?
Speaking to reporters after practice Monday, coach Kyle Shanahan detailed how Mason’s continued growth complicates San Francisco’s defensive pecking order.
“I wouldn’t say anything against Elijah, there hasn’t been any downfall in Elijah, but J.P. [Mason] it works at a very high level,” Shanahan told reporters. “I see these two guys who, if Christian [McCaffrey is] It’s not there, it’s not going to, we always hope, no matter who we had in the past, that [the] No. 2, No. 3, sometimes our fourth guy comes in. If their number is called, we expect them to run like a defender. How many reps did they get? How long did they last? Stuff like that.
“JP wasn’t there right away, but he got there pretty quickly. And he did a great job for us last year, and we’ll see how camp plays out. I love both of those guys and I have some depth behind them as well.”
Shanahan isn’t the only one to notice the rise in Mason’s stock, as McCaffrey recently praised the third-year return for evolving into a “complete” player.
“Yeah, man, I think he looks a lot more complete than he did before,” McCaffrey said of Mason. “He’s always been able to do that, it’s just been consistent with it. And I think you see now that he’s making things happen in the passing game and the running game that are consistent with that.”
McCaffrey also noted how the 49ers’ deep defense has created a competitive atmosphere that gets the best out of every member of San Francisco’s backfield.
“You know, we’re all pushing each other, making each other better, but also supporting each other and it’s a really fun room to be in because you know, you want to talk about guys who push you to be at your best, every one of these guys is now doing just that and it’s fun to be a part of,” McCaffrey said.
After signing with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2022, Mason is averaging 5.6 yards per carry on 83 attempts in the NFL, with both pro seasons seeing efficient rushing production despite the lower workload. .
Mitchell has seen his production decline over the past two years, largely due to bad luck with injuries, missing 18 games since the start of the 2022 season. Selected 194th overall in the 2021 NFL Draft, Mitchell made his mark as a rookie, claiming San Francisco’s starting job while rushing for 963 yards on 207 attempts in his rookie campaign.
Since Mitchell’s strong rookie season, Mitchell has rushed for 560 yards on 120 attempts — but maintains the same 4.7 yards per carry he had as a rookie during that span.
Having Mason and Mitchell healthy and available to spell McCaffrey is the ideal outcome, but for now no one knows who will go first when the 49ers’ returning bell cow walks off the field.
