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When the San Francisco 49ers selected Carlos Hyde in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft, they expected big things out of the Ohio State running back. Hyde’s rookie year never amounted to much. He didn’t push Frank Gore as much as the front office had expected. He gained only 333 yards for the season behind the veteran and never really threatened to procure more playing time.
The season wasn’t lost for Hyde; he did show flashes of having NFL abilities, and the 49ers are still confident that Hyde has a bright future in this league. After massive turnover in the offseason both with the roster and the coaching staff, Hyde remains. Gore is now a member of the Indianapolis Colts and veteran Reggie Bush is now a member of the Niners.
While Bush will absolutely see the field, at 30 years of age with injury concerns, he’s clearly on the downside of his career and shouldn’t be expected to be more than a part-time player being utilized as a pass-catching threat out of the backfield. The feature back duties should be Hyde’s, and he will be given every opportunity to have a breakout season with the Niners.
Entering training camp, Hyde is out to prove that his nagging offseason injuries were only minor and that he is ready to take the torch from Gore and be the feature back on this team for the next five to seven years. If Hyde stumbles, the 49ers have serviceable options in Bush, Kendall Hunter and rookie Mike Davis. Davis is the guy Hyde needs to keep an eye on. He was selected in the fourth round out of South Carolina and has the potential to be an every-down back. San Francisco clearly sees Davis as an option if Hyde proves he’s an NFL bust.
It’s far too early to use the “B” word for Hyde. With only one year under his belt, he still has every opportunity to become a productive NFL back. If he gains his footing and has a solid season, with Colin Kaepernick‘s running ability, San Francisco could have a fantastic rushing attack. Will it all come to fruition? That question will begin to be answered during training camp.
Bill Zimmerman is a featured writer for RantSports. Follow him on Twitter or like him on Facebook.
