For over nine years, Gore has manned the 49ers’ backfield, running over opponents and eating up clock. Yet, at the ancient age of 31, he may be on his last legs. In this year’s draft, San Francisco prepared for the inevitable day Gore hangs up his cleats when they selected running back Carlos Hyde, 57th overall. A combination of Hyde with last year’s fourth-round selection Marcus Lattimore could be dangerous, if Lattimore is able to fully recover from his torn ACL.
A running back’s NFL life is short. They take a beating, especially running backs like Gore who drive through 300-plus pound lineman. However, last season, Gore failed to show any signs of wearing down. He surpassed 1,100 yards, scored nine touchdowns, and averaged 4.1 yards per carry. So why prepare for life without Gore? The production of older running backs drop off quickly, and the 49ers want to prepare for the day, week, month, or year Gore’s falls off completely. To prevent such a quick decline, they will likely limit his workload.
If his legs still show signs of life at the end of this season, the 49ers could offer him another, smaller deal. He is in the last year of his contract.