Rookie RB comeback could be near after 49ers cut Jeff Wilson Jr.

In all reality, veteran running back Jeff Wilson Jr. had long odds to hang around on the San Francisco 49ers' opening 53-man roster.

The Niners only signed Wilson after injuries decimated the tailback room during the preseason, and if they viewed their leading rusher from 2020 with any sort of seriousness, he likely would have been signed much earlier during the offseason.

Instead, as first reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter, Wilson finds himself part of San Francisco's roster cuts in advance of the leaguewide Tuesday deadline:

Wilson, 29 years old, could be ticketed for the 49ers' practice squad, and even head coach Kyle Shanahan declared it'd be a tough choice when he spoke to reporters after his team's preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers over the weekend.

All that said, however, Wilson's release indicates the Niners are likely going to get back one of their other injured rushers, a rookie upon whom they have high hopes.

Jeff Wilson Jr. release implies the return of rookie Jordan James

San Francisco has been awfully shorthanded at running back this summer, and the injuries got off to an ominous start when rookie tailback Jordan James suffered a broken finger during training camp that required surgery.

Shanahan mentioned back then the fifth-round draftee out of Oregon would miss a few weeks, and those weeks have since passed.

Now, exactly how close James is to returning to 100 percent is anyone's guess. But the Wilson release suggests the first-year pro is much closer than not.

As for the 49ers depth chart at running back, it's likely going to shape up like this:

• Christian McCaffrey
• Brian Robinson Jr.
• Isaac Guerendo
• Jordan James

The Niners' recent trade pickup of Robinson helps alleviate the need to rush James back, and it also might have doomed Wilson's own roster chances, too. Yet the fact the Niners are unlikely to shelve James on an injury list to open the season, thereby eliminating the first four weeks of his 2025 campaign, is an indicator he might be ready to go by Week 1.

Even if it's in a limited role, possibly even as an inactive player with McCaffrey, Robinson and Guerendo handling on-field duties.

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