49ers news: Mandatory minicamp left us with these 5 major takeaways
By Peter Panacy
49ers minicamp takeaway No. 4: Jordan Mason might be No. 2 running back for good
One of the negative developments from OTAs and mandatory minicamp was that third-year running back Elijah Mitchell is missing time... again.
Mitchell, who rushed for 963 yards his rookie season in 2021 despite appearing in just 11 games, was beset by even more injuries last season, appearing in only five.
Now, according to multiple reports from offseason workouts, the tailback is dealing with another undisclosed injury.
That has been a blessing for second-year rusher Jordan Mason, last year's undrafted free agent who impressed enough not only to just make the 53-man roster but also to overtake third-round draftee Tyrion Davis-Price on the depth chart.
Read on from Grant Cohn of Sports Illustrated:
"[Mason is] fully entrenched as the No. 2 running back behind Christian McCaffrey while Elijah Mitchell sits out with an undisclosed injury, which he does frequently. Mitchell can't stay healthy, but Mason can. He looks decidedly trimmer and faster than last year."
Kyle Shanahan might simply embrace the "availability is the best ability" mantra when it comes to deciding between Mason and Mitchell this season.
It looks as if the former could have the edge.