With superstar running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve, the San Francisco 49ers are being encouraged to add a little more depth to their running backs room.
The 49ers have been riddled with injuries throughout training camp and into the regular season on both sides of the ball, with the offense taking multiple lumps. In addition to McCaffrey, running back Elijah Mitchell is on IR, and wideout Deebo Samuel, who is often utilized in the run game, will “probably miss a couple of weeks,” according to 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan.
While Jordan Mason has been tearing it up in McCaffrey’s absence, if Mason were to fall, the depth behind him is scarce. Matt Barrows of The Athletic called the Miami Dolphins a “natural trade partner” for the Niners on September 14 before doubling down on the idea in a later column.
The two trade swaps Barrows proposed? Sending 49ers’ third-string QB Joshua Dobbs to Miami in exchange for Dolphins running back Raheem Mostert, He also pitched a swap of 49ers second-string QB Brandon Allen for Dolphins RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
Barrows Explains Why a 49ers & Dolphins Trade Swap Makes Sense for Both Teams
The Dolphins have been dealing with significant injuries of their own. Miami recently placed starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve. The Dolphins are is currently relying on inexperienced backup Skylar Thompson to fill Tua’s shoes until he returns.
Considering the obvious connection between former 49ers assistant and current Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel — who served as an assistant in varying capacities for Shanahan from 2017 through 2021 — a swap between these two squads seems like a no-brainer.
“I made this point on X last week, but the 49ers need a reliable running back, and the Miami Dolphins seem to need a quarterback,” Barrows wrote on September 17.
“The Dolphins have an abundance of runners who are in the same offense as San Francisco’s, and the 49ers have two backup quarterbacks who are about equal in the eyes of Shanahan and who could quickly slide into Mike McDaniel’s attack.”
Both Jeff Wilson & Raheem Mostert Know 49ers Offense Well
Mason has been showcasing his skills while replacing McCaffrey. Through two games, the 49ers RB is currently ranked second in the NFL in rushing (247 yards). He’s averaging 5.1 yards per carry and has 2 rushing scores. With Patrick Taylor and Isaac Guerendo currently behind Mason on the depth chart, it wouldn’t hurt to add another player to compete.
“When you lose real good players, it’s always tough,” Shanahan noted. “But it happens all over the league and it’s a huge part of this league and a huge part of this game. We’ve got to deal with it.”
Both Wilson and Mostert are familiar faces among the 49ers Faithful. Wilson spent the first four years of his career in San Francisco before getting traded to Miami in 2022. He has been missing time while dealing with an oblique injury, however, so Mostert may be a better option.
Niners fans likely remember Mostert best for his postseason heroics with the team. He ran for 220 yards and scored 4 TDs in the team’s 2019 NFC Championship victory over the Green Bay Packers.
Mostert has been with the Dolphins since 2022 and is coming off a career year. He led the NFL in rushing scores last season (18) and finished with the first 1,000-yard season of his career. Mostert has been dealing with a chest injury, but it isn’t believed to be significant enough to keep him out of more than a game or two.
With both the 49ers and Dolphins dealing with significant injuries, a QB-for-RB trade swap makes too much sense. We’ll see if something materializes.
