The Niners have had discussions with a familiar face at running back.
While releases have been the primary news for the San Francisco 49ers in free agency early on, a reunion could be in the cards with a former Pro Bowler as well.
Speaking on NFL Network on Tuesday, running back Raheem Mostert talked about his future, pointing out his desire to win and even mentioned the possibility of joining his former team in free agency.
“I do got some juice left, obviously,” Mostert said. “But now it’s all about trying to win. I got a taste of what it was like when I was with the Niners in ‘19, getting to Super Bowl and playing in that game and scoring as well. So once you get that, you definitely want to go back and you want to pick a team that’s suitable for that occasion. But also you want to, you want to get the opportunity to go out there and showcase you still got it.
“It would definitely be a great one-two punch. I talked to CMC [RB Christian McCaffrey], one of my guys. We’ve chatted quite quite some time over the years, and honestly, the Niners have been in discussion. I could just say that we’ve heard from them and trying to work some stuff out, obviously. But you never know. You can go one direction and then flip within an hour, to another direction. But everything’s on the table for me right now.”
Mostert will be leaving the Miami Dolphins after two seasons, as his agent Brett Tessler mentioned the running back’s desire to chase a Super Bowl ring.
“Looks like my client Raheem Mostert will be playing elsewhere next season,” Tessler wrote in an X post. “Very thankful for his time with the Miami Dolphins, and this gives them a chance to get younger and gives him a chance to pursue a ring elsewhere.
Mostert made his first Pro Bowl back in 2023, rushing for 1,012 yards and a league-high 18 touchdowns while catching 25 passes for 175 yards and three scores.
Playing in a tandem with De’Von Achane once again in 2024, Mostert played in only 13 games, rushing for 278 yards and a career-low 3.3 yards per attempt.
He has played in 44 games over the past three years, making 30 starts, but the running back is now entering his age-33 season with an extensive injury history.
Mostert didn’t play special teams in Miami because he was the lead back. Mostert was covering kickoffs in the 2019 Divisional round as the Niners lead back. Christian McCaffrey holds that title now, meaning Mostert could hold significant value on special teams in terms of covering kicks and having somebody speedy with experience.
The 49ers have mentioned the desire to get younger this offseason after having one of the oldest rosters in the NFL last year, so this move would go against that philosophy.
San Francisco also re-signed Patrick Taylor Jr. to a one-year deal on Monday, adding to their running back group of Christian McCaffrey, Isaac Guerendo, and Israel Abanikanda. Moreover, they recently tendered Jordan Mason with the second-round tender, placing his 2025 salary at $5.346 million if he signs that.
Drafting a running back in the 2025 NFL Draft is also a very plausible option, given the depth and top-end talent in the upcoming class, so there are other possibilities to address at the position.
San Francisco could look for some veteran insurance behind McCaffrey, given his injury history, and may also trade Mason in a move to get cheaper at running back. But I’m not sure that Mostert is the right option for that, given his age and production in 2024.