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Will the 49ers Trade Running Back Isaac Guerendo this Offseason?

Keep an eye on Guerendo. He needs to fight for his job.
Grant Cohn|
Oct 27, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo (31) carries the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images
Oct 27, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo (31) carries the ball against the Dallas Cowboys during the third quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images | Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

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San Francisco 49ers

Just a year ago, the 49ers traded up to take Isaac Guerendo in Round 4.

Now, he might not make their 53-man roster this year. That's why Pro Football Network lists Guerendo as a surprise trade candidate this offseason.

"The San Francisco 49ers can never resist an enticing mid-round running back prospect," writes Pro Football Network's Sterling Xie. "Last year, Isaac Guerendo was the target, but he might already be old news. The Niners drafted bruising Oregon back Jordan James in the fifth round, a solid value for a player some felt could go on Day 2. Subsequently, San Francisco signed PFSN’s top-rated UDFA running back, Cincinnati’s Corey Kiner."

Kiner was ranked no. 174 overall by CBS sports, meaning they expected Kiner to get picked in Round 5. So it's highly likely both he and James will make the 53-man roster along with Christian McCaffrey. That leaves one more spot for Guerendo or Patrick Taylor Jr. whom the 49ers re-signed this offseason.

"Guerendo should still be viewed as a favorite to earn one of those spots," writes Xie. "Still, it’s interesting that the 49ers added a pair of rookies known for their decisive running styles. For all his physical gifts, Guerendo’s tendency to dance was frustrating at times, as he was an extremely boom-or-bust option in a small sample of carries. His athleticism should carry the day if he’s improved his decisiveness this offseason, but the 49ers have some other options if Shanahan doesn’t trust Guerendo with the RB2 role."

In addition, Guerendo got injured frequently as a rookie just as he did in college. Maybe the 49ers want tougher runners to back up Christian McCaffrey who isn't built to take a bruising anymore.

Keep an eye on Guerendo this offseason. He needs to fight for his job.

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Grant Cohn
GRANT COHN

Grant Cohn has covered the San Francisco 49ers daily since 2011. He spent the first nine years of his career with the Santa Rosa Press Democrat where he wrote the Inside the 49ers blog and covered famous coaches and athletes such as Jim Harbaugh, Colin Kaepernick and Patrick Willis. In 2012, Inside the 49ers won Sports Blog of the Year from the Peninsula Press Club. In 2020, Cohn joined FanNation and began writing All49ers. In addition, he created a YouTube channel which has become the go-to place on YouTube to consume 49ers content. Cohn's channel typically generates roughly 3.5 million viewers per month, while the 49ers' official YouTube channel generates roughly 1.5 million viewers per month. Cohn live streams almost every day and posts videos hourly during the football season. Cohn is committed to asking the questions that 49ers fans want answered, and providing the most honest and interactive coverage in the country. His loyalty is to the reader and the viewer, not the team or any player or coach. Cohn is a new-age multimedia journalist with an old-school mentality, because his father is Lowell Cohn, the legendary sports columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle from 1979 to 1993. The two have a live podcast every Tuesday. Grant Cohn grew up in Oakland and studied English Literature at UCLA from 2006 to 2010. He currently lives in Oakland with his wife.

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