SF 49ers: 5 players John Lynch needs to have on trade block

No. 4: SF 49ers Running Back Tevin Coleman

San Francisco has a stockpile of running backs capable of offering notable contributions. And while injury attrition has forced Kyle Shanahan to essentially feature everyone on the roster at this position over the first seven weeks, it’s still worth exploring whether or not the SF 49ers might be able to get a return by offloading some assets.

One of the ones worth moving is veteran tailback Tevin Coleman.

Coleman, 27 years old, could be a tough move by the NFL trade deadline. For starters, he’s in a contract year, and teams rarely offer up draft capital in exchange for “rental players.” On top of that, Coleman is still shelved on short-term injured reserve with a knee injury, and that alone could deter any potential trade partner.

So will the fact Coleman is averaging just 1.7 yards per rush this season.

But Coleman’s presence on the Niners roster is being pushed by the undrafted rookie, JaMycal Hasty, who figures to take over Coleman’s role in 2021, if not sooner. And the nature of injuries to runners across the league could make for an open market on running backs who can double as receiving threats.

Especially for late-round draft picks.

Shanahan would have to digress from his affinity for Coleman, as well as assume the risk of cutting down on a position where injuries have been common for San Francisco.

Still, it’s pretty clear Coleman won’t fit into the team’s plans beyond this season, making him a tradable asset.