Isaac Guerendo is set to compete for a roster spot this offseason, with the 49ers adding a Day 2 draftee (Kaelon Black) to their backfield — one already housing Jordan James behind Christian McCaffrey. Guerendo will not be able to factor prominently into the McCaffrey backup competition for a while, however.
The third-year running back suffered a pectoral tear while lifting weights recently, Kyle Shanahan said (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman). Guerendo is expected to return late in training camp, complicating his path to the team’s 53-man roster now that Black has arrived as a third-round pick. Guerendo suffered the injury about a month ago, per Shanahan.
For the short term, the 49ers also made additions to their RB room. The team signed running backs Jordan Mims and Jermar Jefferson, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. The team waived running back Sincere McCormick and placed veteran safety Darrick Forrest on IR to create roster space.
A recent report indicated Guerendo may be on the outside looking in following the 49ers’ Black pick. Although the Shanahan-era 49ers have struggled mightily with mid-round RB picks — with Joe Williams, Trey Sermon and Tyrion Davis-Price joining Guerendo (a 2024 third-rounder) in failing to make much of an impact — the team is trying again with Black. The Indiana product was not invited to the Combine, but he became this draft’s third RB chosen.
Guerendo was on San Francisco’s 53-man roster throughout last season, but the team stashed him behind James and Brian Robinson among McCaffrey backups. Despite the 49ers trading Jordan Mason to the Vikings, they did not find much playing time for Guerendo. San Francisco traded for Robinson to be McCaffrey’s top backup, and Guerendo did not play an offensive snap, seeing his only time on special teams.
Clocking a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash at the 2024 Combine, Guerendo averaged 5.0 yards per carry as a rookie (84/420) and scored four touchdowns during a season in which McCaffrey missed extensive time with injury. Robinson joined the Falcons in free agency, but Black will be competing with James to replace him as RB2. Guerendo is now all but certain to land on San Francisco’s active/PUP list to open camp. The 49ers could buy more recovery time by placing him on the reserve/PUP list to open the season; the latter designation would require a four-game absence.
Mims, 26, has 20 career carries in three seasons. The former UDFA logged all of those totes in 2024 with the Saints. A 2021 Lions seventh-round pick who spent last season with the Cardinals, Jefferson has 21 career carries. Forrest, who started 17 Commanders games from 2021-24, joined the 49ers’ practice squad in November of last year but did not see any playing time.