49ers roster 2024: Oft-injured Elijah Mitchell faces shaky future

The 49ers aren't likely to retain Elijah Mitchell after this season, but will he even make the 53-man roster outright in 2024?

Only a few years ago, the San Francisco 49ers thought they had found yet another late-round NFL Draft gem after selecting Louisiana running back Elijah Mitchell.

After all, the 2021 sixth-round pick ended up setting a rookie franchise record, rushing for 963 yards over just 11 games played.

But Mitchell has one glaring issue that has cut into his pro-level effectiveness: injuries.

Mitchell's sophomore year with the Niners lasted just five games, and further knee injuries kept him from all but 11 games in 2023.

While it's not the sole reason, Mitchell's injuries certainly influenced San Francisco's decision to trade for All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey halfway through 2022, turning him into a bell cow and relegating Mitchell to a reserve player only.

Now, heading into a contract year and in light of the 49ers' other moves at the position, Mitchell's future with the franchise is very much in doubt.

What's Elijah Mitchell facing with 49ers in 2024?

There's no doubting Mitchell's talent, when healthy. But health is a major issue.

The Niners' running back depth chart got more crowded during the offseason, thanks to the 2024 NFL Draft pickup of Louisville's Isaac Guerendo and undrafted free-agent signee Cody Schrader. Additionally, San Francisco inked veteran running back Patrick Taylor Jr., who's primarily a special teams ace but also crowds the position.

Those three, Guerendo in particular, will push depth rushers like Mitchell and fellow backup Jordan Mason for carries in training camp.

Even if Mitchell performs better than the others, his injury history might overshadow his value.

The 49ers could theoretically release Mitchell, which would free up $1.055 million at a meager cost of just $45,893 in dead money, according to Over the Cap. The Niners could also look to trade Mitchell, too, although that lingering injury history would likely deter any would-be suitors.

Or, if San Francisco is convinced Mitchell is 100 percent and fully healthy, it could gamble on the upside and deploy him as McCaffrey's primary backup in 2024.

Considering the Guerendo investment, though, that'd probably be it for Mitchell, and the 49ers would almost assuredly let him hit the open market in 2025.

There's a pretty wide trajectory of possibilities for Mitchell between now and Week 1, and his future with the team is cloudy, at

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