SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers running back competition is about to reach maximum capacity.
The Niners activated Jerick McKinnon from the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday, which allows him to resume on-field activities like walk-throughs and participate in practice.
McKinnon is returning from the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee that he suffered on Sept. 1 of last year. That injury came little more than a week from the 2018 season opener and cost McKinnon all of last season.
Since, McKinnon has been rehabilitating alongside quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who also suffered a torn ACL just a few weeks after McKinnon. Unlike Garoppolo, McKinnon has taken longer to return, in large part because of the demand his position puts on his surgically-repaired knee.
While McKinnon did not participate in the offseason program as he continued his rehab, he was believed to be on track to open training camp on the field. Those plans took a hit when McKinnon suffered what general manager John Lynch called a “flare up” about a week and a half before the start of camp.
As training camp opened on July 26, Lynch and Shanahan expressed hope that McKinnon could be activated about a week into camp. San Francisco is a little over a week in now but McKinnon will get the chance to ease back in and could potentially be ready to participate in joint practices with the Denver Broncos, scheduled for Aug. 16-17.
“Jet is a guy that you give him something and he’s going to do that and 10 other things,” Lynch said at the start of camp. “Everybody came to the conclusion that a week off after a year of rehabbing is not the worst thing in the world and hopefully that gives him some juice in those legs and so kind of slowing him down, getting him off his legs for a little and then ramping him back up. We’re not just going to throw him back up in there after we rest him for a week. So, ramp him back up so that he’s ready to hit full stride, but he’s had a tremendous rehab.”
In March of 2018, McKinnon signed a four-year, $30 million deal with the Niners, who hoped to make him a focal point of their offense, particularly in the passing game. Upon his return, he enters a crowded backfield that also includes Tevin Coleman, Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert jockeying for position and snaps. So far, Coleman has gotten the bulk of the reps with the starters in camp with Breida and Mostert sprinkled in.
The 49ers still have two players, center Weston Richburg (knee) and tight end Garrett Celek (back), on the PUP list.