Oft-injured 49ers running back Raheem Mostert reportedly is progressing well after suffering a season-ending injury in Week 1 last season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that Mostert recently underwent medical tests and is "making a full recovery” after September surgery. Schefter also relayed some positive comments from the doctor, via Mostert’s agent Brent Tessler.
The PR tone is heavy with this one from Tessler, but it’s good to hear that Mostert is making a healthy recovery. At this point, it might be a slim market for Mostert considering he is about to turn 30 on April 9 and has only played in nine games the past two seasons.
Mostert’s best campaign came during San Francisco’s Super Bowl run in 2019, when he emerged from a crowded backfield to lead the team in rushing yards (772), rushing touchdowns (eight) and yards per carry (5.6). The next season, Mostert got off to a hot start but his season was derailed by a high-ankle sprain.
Perhaps the 49ers would like to bring back Mostert on a low-risk, one-year deal, but this announcement from Schefter and Tessler seems like they’re trying to send out a Bat Signal to the rest of the league. Free agency opens when the NFL league calendar officially flips to 2022 at 1 p.m. PT on Wednesday.
The running back situation with San Francisco has changed immensely since Mostert went down in Week 1. Sixth-round rookie Elijah Mitchell looks like an every-down back after rushing for 963 yards, hauling in 19 catches for 137 yards and totaling six touchdowns in the regular season. Wide receiver Deebo Samuel has also become a big part of the run game. Then there’s last year’s third-round pick Trey Sermon, who never made an impact while Mitchell ran wild. The Tessler/Schefter announcement also came less than 24 hours after the 49ers signed backup running back JaMychal Hasty to a one-year extension.
Mostert and Shanahan were clearly a great combo in their short-lived peak together, but things move fast in the NFL. The 49ers have a new guard at running back. For the rest of the league, a whole new batch of young, 22-year-old running backs is set to flood the market in the upcoming draft and subsequent undrafted free-agent signings.
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