The 49ers have agreed to sign running back Jerick McKinnon to a four-year deal, $30MM deal, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (all Twitter links). The deal includes $12MM guaranteed, according to Albert Breer of The MMQB (on Twitter), and he’ll get $16MM over the first two years of the deal.
The four-year Vikings ball-carrier will see $12MM come his way in the first year of this deal, with Tom Pelissero of NFL.com also reporting (via Twitter) a $3.7MM guarantee for 2019 will shift from an injury guarantee to a full guarantee in March of next year. The fourth year of this contract will essentially serve as an option year, per Pelissero.
Although the Buccaneers had reportedly expressed interest in McKinnon, his decision ultimately came down to the Jets and 49ers, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Gang Green inked former Browns running back Isaiah Crowell to a pact on Tuesday, but it’s unclear if the Jets were deciding between the two players, or had hoped to pair the bruising Crowell with the pass-catching McKinnon.
McKinnon will now surprisingly become the NFL’s fourth-highest-paid running back at $7.5MM annually. Currently, he sits behind only the franchise-tagged Le’Veon Bell, Devonta Freeman, and LeSean McCoy. San Francisco had ample cap space to work with, but it’s still a hefty deal for a (primarily) receiving running back.
But McKinnon’s new contract speaks to the increasing value of pass-catching runners in today’s NFL. While the former Vikings back has never managed 160 carries in a season, he’s put up at least 40 receptions in each of the last two campaigns. In 2017, he set a career-high with 51 catches and 421 yards while grading as the league’s No. 8 pass-blocking back, per Pro Football Focus.
San Francisco lost former starting running back Carlos Hyde to the Browns earlier this morning, so McKinnon will now join a backfield that includes Matt Breida, Raheem Mostert, and Joe Williams.
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That’s a lot of clams
Ok, we get it, someone does this every singing. It shows originality at its peak. Lol
Good think you’re not the one paying them right?
Now they need to try to get tavon Austin and cut garçon
That would be a terrible move. Garçon was really dependable least year and Austin is pretty much just a speed guy and we have that in Goodwin already.
cur garcon? lmaoo
Not a fan of this move, waiting to see the rest of the details of guarantees incentives etc but hopefully Joe Williams if fully recovered so Matt Brieda doesn’t see the field
Lynch getting a little too heavy handed. I don’t like this at all.
How’d McKinnon get double what Hyde did they can both catch Hyde certainly can run better so..?
Hyde is a terrible outside runner. You know, like the outside run scheme shanahhan runs. That’s why breida finished with a higher yards per carry than Hyde. Hyde also led the nfl in dropped passes by a runningback – not good in a shanahhan-garoppolo system. He also led in sacks allowed – also no bueno in a passing system. Mckinnon is vastly better in those areas
Hyde can’t catch and is injury prone. I’d rather have McKinnon but not for this kind of money
Because he didn’t get double what Hyde did? 3/$15+ is not half of 4/$30…
Not a fan of this signing but I do hope it works out. Clearly they see something there they like.
mark my words he’ll earn this contract.