The San Francisco 49ers have been quite active in free agency thus far. One move they made that has largely flown under the radar is bringing back running back Patrick Taylor Jr.
This move may suggest the Niners plan to move on from a pair of other backup running backs.
Taylor did not play all of the 2025 season due to injury, but he got a decent amount of playing time in 2024 due to all of the injuries San Francisco suffered at running back and did quite well. He rushed for 183 yards on 39 attempts and had one touchdown.
The perennial special teams contributor figured to be a nice depth piece for 2025, but his shoulder injury prevented that.
The fact the 49ers are bringing him back may reveal what their plans are at running back.
Brian Robinson Jr. was the primary backup to Christian McCaffrey last season and did fine. The Niners gave up a sixth-round pick to trade for Robinson ahead of the regular season, and he's now set to be a free agent.
The 49ers have reportedly expressed an interest in bringing him back. It would make sense, because even if he wasn't phenomenal last season, Robinson stayed healthy and was able to give McCaffrey a rest at times. The former also showed to be good at returning kickoffs, which may give the Niners more reason to retain him after losing Skyy Moore in free agency.
However, Robinson himself seems to recognize that he may not be back with San Francisco based on his recent social media activity.
Another backup who may be in trouble is Isaac Guerendo.
The Niners spent a fourth-round pick on him in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the then-rookie got a decent amount of playing time because of injuries. Guerendo looked good and flashed some speed that season, but he did not get a single carry last season and was relegated to special teams duties.
By the end of the season, rookie Jordan James surpassed Guerendo on the depth chart. San Francisco seems to have more confidence in James and may even decide to use him as the primary backup to McCaffrey next season.
If that's the case, the top three names on the running back depth chart next season may be: McCaffrey, James, Taylor. It would be a bit scary to have two fairly inexperienced guys on the depth chart behind McCaffrey, given his age and injury history.
But if the Niners are looking to save money, then the Taylor deal suggests Robinson and Guerendo may be gone.