49ers Sign Alfred Morris To Add Depth To Running Back Position
The San Francisco 49ers continue to make moves. Most recently, they sign Alfred Morris. The 49ers had plenty of questions surrounding the running back position after the team allowed former second round pick Carlos Hyde leave in free agency.
The team was willing to let Hyde walk because he didn’t fit in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s zone scheme and wasn’t a good pass catcher. The 49ers found the type of running back they were looking for in former Minnesota Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon, who is expected to be their feature back this season.
With McKinnon and backup Matt Breida suffering injuries in the preseason, the 49ers decided to sign Alfred Morris to add depth and veteran leadership at the running back position.
Morris has some familiarity with Shanahan’s scheme, dating back to their days with the Washington Redskins when Shanahan was the offensive coordinator in 2012 and 2013. Morris flourished in Shanahan’s system and had his most productive seasons during that time, rushing for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2012 and 1,275 yards and seven touchdowns in 2013.
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“Alf did a great job for us for the two years I was with him,” Shanahan said. “It’s not flashy but he runs extremely hard, he’s very reliable, he’s a hard-nosed runner you can keep handing the ball off to.”
Shanahan also said he considered bringing in the 29-year-old Morris, who spent the last two seasons as a backup with the Dallas Cowboys, earlier, but didn’t want to make the move un less he was sure Morris would make the 53-man roster. What does this mean for the San Francisco 49ers?
“I just told him I waited so long to invite him because I wouldn’t invite him unless I believed he had the chance to make the team,” Shanahan said. “I do believe he has a chance to make the team here. And that’s all Alf wants. He wants a chance to compete. Who knows, maybe the San Francisco 49ers will sign Terrell Owens next.
“I think with some of these injuries that we’ve had now, he does have a chance to compete. He’s getting in late, but we’ll see how he does over these next few weeks, and if he’s running the same way he always has, he’ll have a chance.”