49ers training camp: 5 players who must get out to a hot start
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: 49ers running back Trey Sermon
It shouldn’t be too shocking to see some second-year players who underwhelmed in 2021 on this list. And in addition to Aaron Banks, running back Trey Sermon is someone who needs to bounce back from an otherwise disappointing rookie campaign.
Sermon, after being drafted in Round 3 a year ago, finished his first year with a mere 167 rush yards and was even relegated to the inactive list late in the season in light of fellow rookie rusher Elijah Mitchell taking over featured duties on the ground.
Now, with 2022 rookie tailback Tyrion Davis-Price in the mix, Sermon is likely ranked no higher than the No. 3 option on the Niners’ depth chart.
Even that is a shaky spot, too, with fellow running backs like Jeff Wilson Jr., JaMycal Hasty and Jordan Mason all clamoring for arguably two remaining spots on the regular-season roster behind Mitchell and Davis-Price. And while San Francisco probably isn’t prepared to cut bait with Sermon just yet after one frustrating year, there is a chance both Wilson and Mason could push him off the roster altogether if he flames out.
Getting off to a good start in camp will help alleviate that.