Report: Following his extension signing, the San Francisco 49ers want to use star less.
After extending the contract of one of their top offensive weapons this offseason, the San Francisco 49ers want to use him less during the regular season. The 49ers are concerned about Christian McCaffrey’s future since he is a key component of their offense. That strategy, though, will depend on how things pan out with Brandon Aiyuk and Elijah Mitchell, two more offensive playmakers.
Christian McCarthy received a large salary from the San Francisco 49ers.
The 49ers renewed McCaffrey’s contract earlier this month, as was previously mentioned on GH. Rewarding himself with a two-year, $38 million agreement that guaranteed $24 million, the four-time All-Pro running back received a raise. He inked a contract extension with the 49ers that extends through the 2027 season, adding $8 million to his base salary from the previous two seasons.
Following his move to San Francisco in the 2022 season, McCaffrey has been the 49ers’ most important offensive component. The 49ers want to avoid utilizing McCaffrey too much this season, according to The Athletic. They fear that by investing so much money in a running back through the 2027 season, they will put too much strain on him.
Because of Mitchell’s injury and McCaffrey’s high effectiveness on the field, head coach Kyle Shanahan found it difficult to sit the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year. They are aware that such careless usage would eventually result in decreasing profits, though.
The 49ers desire to keep McCaffrey safe.
Before this month, Shanahan declared, “We have guys that can run the ball.” “We need to keep Christian safe from himself. He never wants to leave the house, no matter what, and I believe there is more we might be doing to shield him from that. It’s a little different in the pass game when you pose such a danger.
However, you would like to relieve some of that load from him and give it to other players if he is just bearing the consequences of playing 20 carries and other heavy lifting every game. He is undoubtedly capable of doing so and has shown that he can remain fit.
Will Aiyuk be able to assist the 49ers shoulder the load?
Additionally, the 49ers want to give Aiyuk greater possession of the ball. Whether Aiyuk will be sidelined for the 2024 season by the 49ers is uncertain, though, if a new contract is not reached by September. During this season at least, the 49ers would rather employ Aiyuk the way the Cincinnati Bengals use Tee Higgins.
In the same summer that they awarded their running back an additional $4 million annually, Aiyuk may miss time as the team haggles over $2 million annually for him.
It begs the question of whether McCaffrey’s wage increase will force the organization to jeopardize his longevity by giving him greater playing time this season. By being the club that overspends at a position of gradually declining value and disregards (for the time being at least) positions of premium value, the 49ers are taking a chance.
