Jarryd Hayne signed by San Francisco 49ers through 2017

Jarryd Hayne has been signed to a new contract that keeps him with the San Francisco 49ers through 2017.

After a tumultuous rookie season that saw him demoted from the active roster to the practice squad and then brought back up to the active roster, this is a good sign for the former Australian Rugby League star.

According to Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area, the 49ers signed Hayne to a three-year deal when they brought him back up last Saturday.

Hayne wowed the 49ers and the nation during the 2015 preseason. He showed off elite-level explosion and change-of-direction talent returning kicks and running the ball.

However, once the regular season kicked into high gear Hayne’s preseason flash turned cold. He appeared to play with less confidence, failing to hit holes with the same intensity and decisiveness he showed off in the exhibition games, and also fumbled the ball a few times.

When he came back in Week 16 he showed off some good things, per head coach Jim Tomsula, though his final stat line wasn’t impressive (nine rushes for 27 yards, five catches for 20 yards).

“You saw some of the inside zone runs that he ran in that game,” Tomsula said. “You can see what we’re talking about with how he’s gotten better at feeling that and seeing that and the way he’s worked at that. So he continues to work his tail off and get better.”

Clearly, the 49ers have seen enough out of Hayne to have hope he’ll continue developing into an NFL-caliber running back. Given his seemingly endless highlight reel during his rugby days, he seems to have the physical abilities to make it happen.

With an offseason to continue learning about the nuances of playing American football, nobody should be surprised if Hayne becomes an integral player for the 49ers next season, and beyond.