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5 Reasons why the 49ers won’t release running back Carlos Hyde

By Peter Panacy

Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 2, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) warms up prior to the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 20, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) leaves the game with an apparent injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 43-18. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 20, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) leaves the game with an apparent injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the third quarter at Heinz Field. The Steelers won 43-18. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 3: A Chance to Debunk the Injury History

One of the myths surrounding Carlos Hyde’s underachieving pro career is the notion he is the victim of chronic injuries.

Yes, injuries have played a factor in the two-plus seasons Hyde has starred at the pro level. He missed all but seven games in 2015 and was absent another three last year.

In 2015, a nagging foot injury was the primary culprit; a stress fracture which forced him onto injured reserve in December that year. A concussion kept Hyde from playing two games in the middle of 2016, and an MCL sprain in Week 16 that same year eventually landed Hyde back on IR at the end of the season.

Those are three separate injuries to three different parts of the body — it doesn’t take a doctor to figure that out.

Sure, some players wind up being more injury prone than others. But as any NFL fan can understand, running backs frequently suffer more injuries than other positions simply because of the wear and tear they experience. It’s one of the reasons why tailbacks rarely keep playing into their 30s.

San Francisco’s offense has surely been less than stellar over the last two seasons, and we’ll get to why in a moment. In both years, Hyde was the focal point of most things the Niners were attempting to do. The problem was other teams knew that as well, and they were able to scheme their defenses in an attempt to take Hyde out of the game plan.

2017 can provide the opportunity for a fresh slate.