On the first day of the legal tampering period, the San Francisco 49ers saw several free agents leave the team for other opportunities around the league.
However, San Francisco did retain one of their restricted free agents, who should hopefully play a role within the offense in 2025. ESPN's NFL insider Adam Schefter reported Tuesday morning that the 49ers placed a second-round tender on running back Jordan Mason.
The second-round tender is reportedly worth $5.346 million. Furthermore, if another team were to sign the 25-year-old running back to an offer sheet and San Francisco declined to match, they would get a second-round pick in return.
That said, given the nature of the running back class in the 2025 NFL Draft, it's unlikely another team would sign him to an offer sheet. The 49ers hope Mason can take charge as their RB2 behind Christian McCaffrey.
Last season, the former North Texas standout played well when given extended snaps in place of an injured McCaffrey. Mason had 667 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 128 carries (5.2 yards per attempt) between Weeks 1-7.
However, his production took a noticeable dip between Weeks 8 and 13, as Mason had 122 yards on 25 carries (4.9 yards per attempt). During that slate of games, the 49ers saw the return of McCaffrey. The superstar running back's return didn't last long as he was sidelined by a PCL injury he suffered in Week 13 against the Buffalo Bills.
Mason did not play in the final five games last season due to a high ankle sprain. Heading into 2025, the Niners will likely ask Mason to be that change-of-pace option at RB2, especially with Elijah Mitchell signing with Kansas City.
The 49ers reportedly re-signed Patrick Taylor, but he likely won’t factor into the team’s offensive plans, especially when you have Mason and Guerendo ahead of him on the depth chart.