49ers roster: 5 veterans who’ll be under the microscope during OTAs
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers running back JaMycal Hasty
It’s anyone’s guess how many halfbacks Kyle Shanahan will keep on his 53-man roster, and his reliance upon the ground game in a run-first offense has led to keeping five at various points in previous seasons.
Still, San Francisco’s surprising third-round selection of LSU running back Tyrion Davis-Price doesn’t spell good news for two of the tailbacks towards the bottom of the team’s depth chart entering OTAs, Trey Sermon and JaMycal Hasty.
Davis-Price might not be able to unseat second-year pro Elijah Mitchell as the team’s primary tailback this season, and it’s possible Jeff Wilson Jr.’s role remains unchanged. Still, Davis-Price is likely going to impact both Sermon and Hasty in a big way.
Of the two, Hasty stands the most to lose.
The 49ers probably aren’t ready to give up on Sermon, another Round 3 pick from a year ago, just yet. But Hasty, an undrafted free agent from 2020 who had 39 touches for 225 all-purpose yards and a touchdown against two fumbles, could easily be phased out.
Should Shanahan elect to keep only four running backs on the roster, which would likely be the smarter play, Hasty would probably be the easiest cut to make.
Unless he wows right away at OTAs.