49ers running back Christian McCaffrey was in attendance at the start of the team’s voluntary offseason workout program without any physical limitations, according to NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco.
That’s an encouraging sign for the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year after he was limited to just four games in 2024.
A nebulous lower-leg injury – later revealed to be Achilles tendinitis – sidelined McCaffrey at the beginning of the regular season and eventually landed him on injured reserve. He made his season debut in Week 10, but returned to IR with a PCL injury less than a month later.
McCaffrey’s injury woes raised questions about his high usage in the 49ers offense. After missing the first nine games of the season, he played 155 of the team’s 176 offensive snaps (88.1%) in his first three games before going down after just 12 snaps in his fourth. McCaffrey will be 29 once the 2025 season begins with more than 2,000 touches in his career, so such a high snap share may not be tenable moving forward.
As a result, head coach Kyle Shanahan may make a more concerted effort to distribute touches in 2025, though the team traded Jordan Mason and Deebo Samuel this offseason. That will give athletic 2024 draft picks Isaac Guerendo and Ricky Pearsall an opportunity to take some of the playmaking burden off McCaffrey’s shoulders. The 49ers could also add to their offense from a 2025 draft class that is especially strong at running back.