Will the 49ers Regret Letting Raheem Mostert Walk?

And like that, he's gone.

Raheem Mostert is no longer the starting running back for the 49ers as he has taken his talents to South Beach. Mostert has signed a one-year, $3.125 million deal with the Dolphins to reunite himself with Mike McDaniel.

It isn't a surprise to see Mostert leave the 49ers for the Dolphins. In fact, Mostert was my likeliest 49ers' free agent to follow McDaniel to Miami. Now it has come to fruition, thus ending any new memories of Mostert ripping off massive runs. Injuries have plagued Mostert the last two seasons, so I would understand why the 49ers did not pursue a new deal with him.

Still, Mostert was the best running back on the roster despite all of that. He was the homerun and change of pace back for the 49ers. And with Elijah Mitchell's emergence, he could've been part of a vicious tandem along with the read-option dynamic added with Trey Lance.

Will the 49ers regret letting Mostert walk?

They won't.

San Francisco has already found their home run back. His name is Deebo Samuel. From the very moment Kyle Shanahan discovered that Samuel could fill that void left by Mostert -- his fate was sealed. The fact that the 49ers are going to have to cash out Samuel on an extension this offseason cements that. Why payout Samuel AND Mostert when the 49ers do not have to waste unnecessary dollars on a guy who's injury prone?

Even at a cheap deal such as $3 million, the 49ers didn't need to re-sign Mostert thanks to Samuel. Besides, they have a couple of young running backs they need to invest in. Mitchell is already a sweet player and now the 49ers have to get Trey Sermon going, which I think will happen with Lance as Sermon can fit well in the read-option run game.

I would suspect that the 49ers look at a veteran to reel into the fold. Perhaps Jeff Wilson Jr. and/or another experienced player to keep for depth purposes? Depth is certainly needed as the 49ers running backs all missed time simultaneously and at various points throughout the season.

Mostert was a phenomenal running back who executed Shanahan's run offense to exquisite form. His time with the 49ers shall never be forgotten. Seeing him in a Dolphins uniform again after hitting his stride with the 49ers will certainly sting fans, especially since it was viable to bring him back.

But maybe he and/or the 49ers didn't want to make it work? Whatever the case may be, Mostert shined everytime he stepped out on the field for the 49ers.

Now, that shine belongs to Samuel.