The San Francisco 49ers are focused on rebounding after a 6-11 season. The 49ers will have plenty of new faces when they take the field for the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, but there are some players that don’t have a date circled at all as they’re looking for a new job ahead of training camp.
One player who has racked up over 2,000 rushing yards in his career is still looking for a team to take a chance on him as camp approaches. And with experience at the league’s most volatile position, he could convince a team to take a flyer on him in the next couple of weeks.
Someone Should Call Former 49ers RB Jeff Wilson Before Training Camp
The 49ers found a diamond in the rough when they signed Jeff Wilson as an undrafted free agent out of North Texas after the 2018 NFL Draft. Wilson was impressive when called upon in his first two seasons in the league, but he broke out in 2020, running 126 times for 600 yards and seven touchdowns.
Part of Kyle Shanahan's carousel at the running back position, he had another fast start when he averaged 5.1 yards per carry and scored twice in San Francisco’s first eight games in 2022, but was traded midseason to the Miami Dolphins.
Wilson’s time in Miami started well as he ran for 392 yards, three touchdowns, and 4.7 yards per carry over the final eight games. He even had a solid year in 2023, averaging 4.6 yards per attempt on 41 carries. But last year represented rock bottom with 16 carries for 57 scoreless yards, and Wilson remains unemployed with camp on the horizon.
There could be a few reasons why Wilson is not employed. The 2025 running back class was highly regarded, and even Day 3 backs could be counted on for big roles heading into training camp. Wilson also has a lengthy injury history that includes 15 missed games over the past two seasons.
Entering his age-30 season, many teams could see Wilson as a player in decline. But his experience would make sense for a team looking for another option in the backfield, and an injury during camp could have Wilson’s phone ringing in the new future.