Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
The San Francisco 49ers bolstered their running back room with the addition of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey this week. With Elijah Mitchell sidelined with an MCL sprain since Week 1, Jeff Wilson Jr. has been carrying the load on offense. He leads the team with 400 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns and is averaging nearly five yards per carry.
The addition of McCaffrey doesn’t change how Wilson feels about the 49ers’ group of backs, though. After practice on Friday, a reporter asked if he felt San Francisco boasts the best running back room in the NFL.
“No doubt,” Wilson answered. “I mean, we felt that way before Christian got here, so with adding him, we feel that way even more now. … We’ve got the best group in the NFL.”
McCaffrey arrived in Santa Clara about an hour before the 49ers kicked off their Friday practice, the last of the week. He passed his physical, making the trade official, and then suited up to join his new teammates on the practice field. McCaffrey’s status for Sunday is still unclear. There’s a lot to learn before he can be thrown into a game.
“He’s a vet,” Wilson said. “I know he’s a smart player. That’s why he’s been in the league and been in the position that he’s had in his entire life, even at Stanford. I used to watch him. Coming out of college, I used to try to pace myself to keep up with him. … Just to have him here, he’s going to bring a lot to the table.”
Wilson knows that whenever the dynamic running back gets on the football field, it will add yet another weapon to an offense capable of being among the most explosive in the league.
“He’s an electrifying player,” Wilson said. “… Just to have that player, he’s a big help.”
There is also the trust in head coach Kyle Shanahan, who admitted that once he learned of the trade for McCaffrey, he considered redoing portions of the game plan.
“I know Kyle is a mastermind,” Wilson told reporters. “He’s a wizard. So he’s up there working, and coming together, and coming up with all types of things. So we just leave that up to him, and we’ll just be ready to ball it, and do what we were born to do.”
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