After shedding a 12 months to harm, San Francisco 49ers RB Raheem Mostert is hitting the free agent market. Though he’s getting into his age-30 season, Mostert doesn’t have wherever close to the wear and tear and tear of lots of his operating again cohorts. The place may he land when free company opens? Listed here are some predictions for the way forward for the 49ers again.
High predictions without cost agent Raheem Mostert
Mostert entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2015, and it took him some time to get going. Over his first two years within the league, he hung out with six totally different groups, usually working as back-end roster depth or enjoying on observe squads.
The Purdue alum signed with the 49ers close to the top of the 2016 marketing campaign, however it took till the 2019 season for Mostert to get any actual enjoying time. That 12 months, he teamed with Tevin Coleman in one of many league’s finest speeding assaults. On 137 carries, Mostert led San Francisco in each speeding yards (772) and speeding touchdowns (8).
Well being has all the time been a query mark for Mostert, and people points actually began to pop up in 2020. He was compelled to injured reserve on two events and appeared in solely eight video games. Final season, Mostert managed to play simply 4 offensive snaps earlier than a knee harm ended his marketing campaign in Week 1. Fortunately, he’s making a full restoration and will likely be able to play in 2022, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Friday.
Mostert’s finest touchdown spots
Which groups may goal Mostert as soon as free company opens? Listed here are a number of contenders.
Miami Dolphins
If Mostert doesn’t re-sign with the 49ers, the Dolphins appear like a great touchdown spot. Former 49ers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel is now the pinnacle coach in Miami, the place he’ll run the identical form of artistic zone scheme he employed in San Francisco. Including a veteran like Mostert with expertise in that system may solely profit a staff going by way of a reboot.
Whereas the Dolphins will clearly want to make use of their ample cap house to enhance arguably the league’s worst offensive line, the membership may improve its operating again depth chart, too. At current, solely Myles Gaskin, Salvon Ahmed, and Gerrid Doaks are signed for 2022, whereas Patrick Laird is a restricted free agent. Mostert would immediately give Miami extra credibility within the backfield.
New York Jets
Mostert could possibly be in demand within the AFC East, because the Jets’ offense can also be led by a former 49ers OC in Mike LaFleur. Gang Inexperienced has a greater state of affairs than the Dolphins at each offensive line and RB, however that doesn’t imply they received’t be eager about including a veteran again.
Fourth-round rookie Michael Carter proved as soon as once more why groups shouldn’t make investments first-round picks on operating backs. Regardless of his draft billing, Carter appeared NFL-ready for almost all of the season whereas main the Jets in carries and speeding yards. With Coleman a pending free agent, New York may return to the ex-49er nicely and seize Mostert to function a mentor/backup to Carter.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers want to determine their quarterback state of affairs earlier than they do the rest, and two potential choices — Russell Wilson and Carson Wentz — got here off the board this week. However no matter who’s beneath heart, Tampa Bay should discover a operating again. Practically all of their RBs — together with Leonard Fournette, Ronald Jones, and Giovani Bernard — are free brokers, leaving solely 2020 third-round decide Ke’Shawn Vaughn on the roster.
Whereas the Bucs would absolutely like to re-sign Fournette after his excellent 2021 marketing campaign, the membership has a laundry record of free brokers. They’ve already used the franchise tag on Chris Godwin, whereas Carlton Davis, Rob Gronkowski, Ryan Jensen, Alex Cappa, and others are attributable to hit the market. Mostert is a considerably cheaper choice than Fournette who would enable Tampa to prioritize different inside FAs.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Najee Harris performed 980 snaps in 2021. 9 hundred and eighty. Within the final decade, just one operating again (Christian McCaffrey, 2019) performed extra offensive snaps. As a lot because the Steelers might wish to force-feed their first-round decide, Harris isn’t going to carry up with that type of workload.
If Pittsburgh has a rookie quarterback beneath heart in 2022, Harris — or the operating recreation usually — could also be requested to tackle much more duty. The Steelers clearly didn’t belief their RB depth final 12 months, so they should add somebody like Mostert in order that the teaching workers is keen to provide Harris a breather.
Washington Commanders
The Commanders wish to re-sign J.D. McKissic, however Ben Standing of The Athletic additionally not too long ago reported Washington is open to including one other RB even when they preserve the pass-catching specialist. Antonio Gibson ought to see nearly all of the carries subsequent season, however it sounds as if the Commanders wish to bulk up their backfield depth.
Mostert isn’t a lot of a receiver (his career-high in catches is simply 16), but when McKissic has that function coated, Mostert would make sense as a real No. 2 RB in Washington. The Commanders would boast two unbelievable athletes at operating again, as Mostert posted the two quickest in-game speeds of 2020, whereas Gibson recorded an elite Relative Athletic Rating within the pre-draft course of.
