The San Francisco 49ers placed second-year running back Carlos Hyde on the active roster on Wednesday. This comes one day after Hyde was listed on the 49ers active/non-football injury list due to a non-disclosed injury.
With veterans reporting to training camp this weekend, this move paves the way for Hyde to assume the lead role vacated by Frank Gore. While the team didn’t list an injury for Hyde, it was thought that he may have been nursing a strained calf earlier on the offseason during the team’s OTAs.
New head coach Jim Tomsula spoke about Hyde’s condition in May (h/t ESPN.com):
“It’s not even a hamstring; it’s a muscle pull. You talk to our medical people, (at a) different time of the year, Carlos would be pushing through. But why? That’s my whole point on everything. Why do that now and take any kind of chances on things? Let’s just get it healed and get going.”
We received a small sampling of Hyde’s work on the field during his rookie season where he averaged 4.0 yards on 83 attempts. Hyde also scored four rushing touchdowns in his initial season with San Francisco.
Hyde will certainly have big shoes to fill after Gore’s incredibly successful 10-year run with the team. With that said, it will be exciting to watch a promising running back shoulder the load in San Francisco come September.
Photo: USA Today Sports