49ers roster: Raheem Mostert has a lot riding on 2021 campaign

Under contract on the 49ers roster through only 2021, running back Raheem Mostert needs to prove he can both stay healthy and be productive this season.

There’s an awfully good chance the San Francisco 49ers roster won’t include running back Raheem Mostert in 2022.

In fact, there aren’t any running backs on the 49ers roster beyond this upcoming season. So while the same argument could be applied to Mostert’s positional teammates, such as Jeff Wilson Jr. and JaMycal Hasty, the former will be the one under the most pressure to deliver this upcoming season.

Mostert’s 2020 campaign was eventful, to say the least. Last offseason, Mostert’s agent stated the running back wanted a trade after failing to receive the kind of guaranteed money another runner on the 49ers roster, Tevin Coleman, was receiving. The two parties eventually reached a deal, which will include up to $3.6 million in 2021.

But after that, Mostert could very well be on his own.

For starters, Mostert will turn 29 years old before the start of the upcoming season. While he has primarily been used as a special teams ace for much of his career and hasn’t totally been subjected to the rigors of being a true bell-cow tailback, Mostert is approaching that dangerous age where all but a precious few are able to continue their respective careers.

On top of that, Mostert already carries a reputation of being injury-prone. He missed eight games last season with varying injuries yet still managed to rush for 521 total yards and averaged an impressive 5 yards per carry.

This suggests Mostert can be productive still, particularly if someone like the newly re-signed Wilson can shoulder a sizable portion of the load.

Still, Mostert’s future beyond 2021 remains in doubt.

49ers roster will likely include younger, cheaper options in 2022

It’s not quite clear what San Francisco will do with regards to its running back depth chart. While the 49ers roster seems rounded out well enough now with Mostert, Wilson, Hasty and Austin Walter, there’s going to be a need to get both younger and cheaper in the not-so-distant future.

The NFL is leaning towards the trend of not paying for middle-aged running backs coming off their rookie contracts. While there are exceptions, including the Niners making one with Coleman in 2019, the context suggests San Francisco will look to get younger at the position.

Particularly in the upcoming NFL Draft, where one might expect head coach Kyle Shanahan and running backs coach Bobby Turner to explore hidden-gem options on days two and three.

On top of that, the 49ers currently have just over $12.5 million in salary cap space, per Over the Cap. While the overwhelming expectation is the salary cap will increase drastically from the reported $183 million for 2021 to somewhere perhaps around $227 million a little over a year from now, the Niners will still have to account for pay increases due to players like tight end George Kittle and defensive end Arik Armstead, while linebacker Fred Warner and EDGE Nick Bosa will be due for lucrative and expensive contract extensions, too.

Without diving too deep into the financials, it’s not hard to see why San Francisco simply won’t be able to afford an aging and oft-injured player like Mostert.

Despite that, Mostert will still have a lot to play for entering a contract year. There’s a chance he’ll be targeting his last big contract in 2022, meaning he’ll be under pressure to both stay healthy and remain productive over the course of the upcoming year.

That’s at least some good news for the 49ers, and it’ll hopefully be beneficial for Mostert’s long-term plans, too.

Even if they don’t include the Niners a year from now.