5 former 49ers who could be forced into retirement by free agency

No. 5: Running back Carlos Hyde

The tough world of NFL free agency reared its head toward former Niners tailback Carlos Hyde, who was selected to be the heir apparent to the franchise's all-time leading rusher, Frank Gore, back in 2014.

At first, it appeared as if Hyde would have one of those perennial Pro Bowl-type careers. But San Francisco fell on hard times in 2015, which certainly hindered the former Ohio State running back's trajectory into stardom.

Then, when Kyle Shanahan took over his duties in 2017, it was pretty clear the new regime would prioritize speed over power, which spellled the end for Hyde with the 49ers a year later.

Bouncing around the league, Hyde saw two separate stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars, played with the Cleveland Browns, Houston Texans and even the Seattle Seahawks before having a career-low 2021 campain with the Jags in which he rushed 253 yards on 72 carries.

The following offseason, Jacksonville released him. Hyde didn't sign anywhere in 2022 and was untouched in 2023, too, which means the 33 year old's days as an NFL pro have probably been done for a while.

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