The 49ers are moving on from Khalil Herbert just two weeks after bringing him in, a quick turn that adds another wrinkle to a backfield already dealing with injuries and uncertainty.
Herbert signed with San Francisco at the beginning of August, then got a brief look during training camp and the preseason. In his preseason action, he logged six carries for 18 yards, with nine yards after contact and one forced missed tackle. According to Adam Schefter, the 49ers are now releasing the veteran running back.
The timing could point to Christian McCaffrey getting closer to a return. He has missed time because of muscle tightness, and this move may signal he could be back at practice this week.
There’s still some shuffling happening behind him. The Athletic’s Matt Barrows reported that Jordan James, Kaelon Black and Isaac Guerendo were all working on the side of the field during Sunday’s practice.
James is dealing with a rib injury, Black with an adductor issue and Guerendo with a pec problem. Barrows added that James and Black are not expected back at practice this week or to play in the preseason game against the Chargers, though both could return for the preseason finale.
With Herbert out of the picture, Sincere McCormick and Zamir White are the only healthy backs left. And if the 49ers get into a pinch, Deebo Samuel would likely be the next man up in the backfield, even though he is not listed as a running back on the depth chart.
In Other News...
49ers May Have Found Needed Edge Depth Behind Nick Bosa
San Franciscos edge room has long been built around Nick Bosa, but the next layer matters just as much for a defense that has had to live with injury concerns up front. One name worth keeping in the conversation is Minnesota edge rusher Anthony Smith, a sturdy, power-based defender whose reputation is rooted more in controlling the run game and setting the edge than in flashing off the ball.
Smiths profile is the kind that can appeal to a team looking for a dependable floor: 12.5 sacks, All-Big 10 second-team recognition, and the sort of physical traits that translate well on early downs. He is not the most twitchy pass rusher in the class, and his lateral movement and counter moves remain areas to watch, but that same profile could make him a sensible developmental fit if the 49ers are thinking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft and the depth chart behind Bosa. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Already Have A Christian McCaffrey Problem To Solve
Christian McCaffrey is already on the sideline with minor tightness, and the 49ers backfield depth is looking thinner than they would like as the season approaches. Behind him, the group is still trying to sort out health concerns and limited experience, with Isaac Guerendo on the PUP list and the team lacking a trustworthy, proven option it can lean on if McCaffrey needs a breather early in the year.
Jordan James and Kaelon Black are both dealing with injuries, which only adds to the uncertainty around the opening stretch and reinforces how fragile the room feels right now. For a team that wants to manage McCaffrey carefully over the long haul, the next move may not be about waiting on internal answers at all, but about finding a veteran who can stabilize the depth chart before Week 1 arrives. [Read more 🡒]