The San Francisco 49ers could say goodbye to RB Jordan Mason, one of their most productive offensive players, in the near future.
The 49ers will have a hectic offseason that could see them extend QB Brock Purdy and potentially commit to a significant amount of roster turnover. One name that Bleacher Report’s Scouting Department believes could leave is Mason, and they are projecting him to the Minnesota Vikings.
“Aaron Jones and Cam Akers are impending free agents, so Minnesota will likely be in the market for a new running back this offseason,” a December 2 article reads. “Mason is a restricted free agent, so San Francisco could match any offer he receives in free agency, but the 49ers also have several other players whose contracts are expiring and might be higher priorities than their backup running back.”
Mason has been a massive part of the 49ers’ 2024 campaign after RB Christian McCaffrey dealt with bilateral Achilles tendinitis. Both players were put on the injured reserve this week, which only makes Mason’s future with the team less certain.
Mason Takes Advantage of Massive Opportunity
It was a surprise for the 49ers when McCaffrey’s Achilles injury worsened and eventually ruled him out for half the season. Even with Purdy and several talented receivers, the Niners are a run-first team and were going to need Mason to come through in a big way.
It’s safe to say he did. Mason was a force of nature for the first six weeks, totaling 609 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. He did slow down due to a sprain AC joint and the return of McCaffrey, but it was clear that he could handle a feature-back’s workload.
That was even proven against the Buffalo Bills. Before his most recent ankle sprain against the Bills, Mason took 13 carries for 78 yards.
There’s a clear gap in talent between McCaffrey and Mason. But Mason is a reliable RB and that is hard to come by in the NFL. Letting him walk could be something the 49ers could regret.
What 49ers May Have to Pay Mason
While it’s definitely due to the team’s injury woes, Mason will end the season as the Niners’ leading rusher. That doesn’t mean he would see a bigger role with a healthy McCaffrey, but it does mean that he will command a pay raise for his second NFL contract.
Mason’s rookie deal is a three-year, $2.57 million contract according to Over the Cap. Like with Purdy, the 49ers has gotten tremendous value out of that deal. However, OTC projects that Mason has been worth about $6.4 million based on his 2024 performance.
That isn’t an insane amount for a general NFL contract, but it is quite a lot for a backup RB. If the Niners were in a true two-back system with another RB under a cheap contract, it would be easy for San Francisco to pay Mason.
But McCaffrey will count as a $9.8 million cap hit in 2025 and will still be under contract for two years after that. San Francisco has already committed plenty of money to their offensive weapons, and Mason may not fit in the 2025 budget.
