Achilles and knee injuries limited Christian McCaffrey to just four games last year. The 49ers have their lead back healthy now, but to no surprise they are taking a cautious approach with his offseason workload. 
McCaffrey earned Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2023 after leading the NFL in a number of categories. That production helped earn him an extension and fresh set of guarantees but things did not go according to plan this past season. The two-time All-Pro will look to bounce back from an availability standpoint in 2025, joining other key 49ers in that regard.
“Right now, he’s as healthy as can be and we’ve got to protect him from himself,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said (via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle) when speaking about how McCaffrey would be managed this spring. “He’s doing a lot less than he normally would do. I know he’s excited about how healthy he feels and the fact that he can get out there.”
On an offense featuring a number of other notable skill-position players, McCaffrey was a focal point for the unit en route to a Super Bowl appearance in 2023. Expectations for a repeat of his production were high until it became clear his Achilles tendinitis would require an IR stint and several weeks of recovery during the season. Not long after making his season debut in Week 10, a PCL injury ended his campaign. Fortunately for the 49ers, the three-time Pro Bowler was fully cleared in time for the start of spring practices.
San Francisco leaned on Jordan Mason to a large extent during McCaffrey’s absence last year. Despite tendering him at the second-round level, though, the team traded Mason to Minnesota in March. That move was followed by the selection of Jordan James in the fifth round of the draft, leaving McCaffrey in place with he, Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor in the backfield. The 49ers’ depth options are all cost effective, something which represents a stark contrast to McCaffrey’s $19MM AAV.
That figure ranks second to only Saquon Barkley – who signed a new Eagles deal in the wake of his historic debut season with the Super Bowl winners. McCaffrey will again be expected to perform at an elite level in 2025, and helping ensure he is capable of doing so will no doubt continue to involve an unusually lighter practice schedule for the time being.
Hmm maybe last year when Jordan Mason was leading the league in rushing for a bit would’ve been a good time to ease his carries
Brittle. Plus other key offensive players coming back after dealing with injury in 24. Trent, Kittle, Aiuyk. Did they miss their window?
The 49ers should be looking for a way to get out of this contract – as it’s only a matter of time until he blows his Achilles.
Ease his offseason, but they will never ease his actual season workload. They literally only have CMC & Kittle since Aiyuk is coming off major injury. JJ has had really good games, but he isn’t a #1.
Hopefully they’re smart enough to lean on Guerendo more.
They had Jordan Mason leading the league in rushing, then dropped him once CMC got cleared. I know Mason had dealt with injury too.
Agreed. Shanahan has never been shy from putting tread on his playmakers, but the in season carries and hits are going to wear McCaffery out much more than his off-season, non contact work.
Definitely smart given his wear and tear and injury history.
the washed cannot become unwashed. you can only hope to slow the rate of washing. But the washing rate for RBs over age 30 is impossible to mitigate.
Yeah blah, the wheels are seeking, he’ll play 3 games and then your read he blew a hammy
How could the 49ers even consider reducing McCaffrey’s offseason activities after watching this acting masterpiece? link to youtube.com.