Two seasons ago, being a San Francisco 49ers running back was the most dangerous job in all of sports.
Last season, being a Niners linebacker might have been the most dangerous.
San Francisco churned through backers at far too rapid a pace, losing All-Pro Fred Warner to a season-ending ankle injury and then watching others like Dee Winters, Tatum Bethune and even then-rookie Nick Martin exit for one ailment or another.
That led to a desperation signing of veteran Eric Kendricks, who admirably entered the fray late in the season and even proved himself to be a postseason hero in the 49ers' Wild Card win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now, Kendricks is a pending free agent. And, soon to be 34 years old, re-signing him doesn't quite jive with the Niners' attempts to get a younger and more athletic roster.
That said, San Francisco might want to make an exception.
Re-signing Eric Kendricks would solve 49ers' LB concerns
Bethune and Winters both showed some promise as partners to Warner, while the jury remains out on Martin after a frustrating first year. Still, none of the three truly proved to be a long-term starting option heading forward, leaving general manager John Lynch with some questions heading deeper into the offseason.
Figuring out a way to bring Kendricks back is apparently an answer.
Sitting down with NBC Sports Bay Area's Jennifer Lee Chan at the NFL Scouting Combine, Lynch was clear about wanting Kendricks back in a 49ers uniform in 2026.
"Yeah, absolutely," Lynch responded when asked about retaining retaining the 2019 first-team All-Pro. "Eric, I can’t say enough. He came in and it probably took more time than he wanted, but it happened in short order and he played, and played really well. Helped us win a tough playoff game in Philly. Played really well for a couple of weeks in a row."
In total, Kendricks appeared in three regular-season games for the Niners, logging six tackles before making his presence felt in that Wild Card win.
Granted, Kendricks isn't a long-term solution, and his retention might just be a stopgap to give Bethune and/or Martin a bit more time to develop.
Still, it's pretty obvious Lynch and Co. would welcome him back, ensuring San Francisco's linebacker shortages don't become problematic again.