San Francisco 49ers: Predicting the future at running back in 2018

The Carlos Hyde Question

Will he stay, or will he go? That’s the primary question with Carlos Hyde.

Hyde needs 229 rushing yards to surpass 1,000 on the ground, which would be a career first. Fortunately, the 27 year old has stayed mostly healthy this season, which hasn’t been the case in previous campaigns.

But Hyde’s pending free agency status puts the prospects for a 2018 reunion in doubt:

Hyde will come off his rookie deal and could easily be viewed as a top target for a run-first team on the free-agent market.

He’ll also turn 28 years old in September. While most of us would expect the Niners to significantly improve upon their 3-10 record (so far) in 2017 next year, it’s not out of the question to assume Hyde wants to sign on with a squad in better shape than San Francisco, essentially ending his career with a true contender.

Fortunately for the Niners, Kyle Shanahan has found ways to utilize Hyde in more than just a featured-back role. Hyde currently leads the offense in receptions (52), meaning his development as a pass catcher could be a useful commodity going forward.

Reports from earlier this season stated the Niners were looking to re-sign Hyde, so there’s that to consider.

But on the flip side, San Francisco shouldn’t be expected to open up the bank for him either.