SF 49ers: It’s time for Kyle Shanahan to unleash JaMycal Hasty
It’s time for the SF 49ers to see what they have in the undrafted rookie, JaMycal Hasty.
The SF 49ers are not quite at panic stations, but it is fair to say that the first quarter of the season has been very glaring for the red and gold.
In contrast to last season, a variety of injuries to star players and some less than stellar play from the offensive line has resulted in a very poor 2-2 record. 2-2 doesn’t seem so bad on the surface, but the fact is it’s not good enough in a tough NFC West.
Especially considering the two wins were against the New York Jets and the New York Giants, two teams that could be competing for the right to pick first at the beginning of the NFL Draft next year.
The season is by no means a wash, and the players who can come back will make a big difference. But there’s a lot the team needs to do for it to still be a contender in 2020. One of those is finding depth to stand up in key situations. Last season, the team was blessed to find stellar play by backups whenever a starter did go down. This has sadly not been the case during the 2020 season, where the losses have been more keenly felt than last year.
However, one way this could change is if rookie running back JaMycal Hasty starts getting more touches in the midst of an injury crisis at the position.
With starting running back Raheem Mostert out and backup Tevin Coleman also on the injury list, Hasty was pressed into service from the practice squad against the Jets. He had two carries for 9 yards and a reception on a designed play that also went for 9 yards. He didn’t play a lot, but he showed some shiftiness and acceleration and did what he needed to do.
So it was an absolute mystery as to why he wasn’t seen on the offense at all for Week 4 versus the Philadelphia Eagles.
Jerick McKinnon is a fine runner and receiver out of the backfield, but he had the vast majority of the snaps and looked run down by the end of the game. The running game became a liability, which is usually the strength of the SF 49ers offense.
More rotation was needed, and Hasty was on standby to provide that if head coach Kyle Shanahan felt he needed to call him up.
Truthfully, he did need to call him up.
The team needed someone different in the backfield at times, and the hesitation to do so was not beneficial whatsoever.
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This isn’t a call for Hasty to start in Week 5. This is merely a call for Hasty to be given a chance to shoulder a bit more of the load and see if the SF 49ers have another undrafted player who can play above his grade.
Hasty has shown glimpses, but now it’s time for him to be allowed to be more than just a flash in the pan for only three offensive plays so far this season.