The 49ers have a talented roster, but when Christian McCaffrey isn't healthy, they generally lose.
They have the best tight end in the NFL, one of the best left tackles, one of the best fullbacks, an excellent wide receiver in Jauan Jennings, an efficient running game no matter who the ball carrier is and a good quarterback.
And yet, when defenses don't have to worry about the threat of McCaffrey running routes and catching the passes, the 49ers are much easier to defend. Suddenly, Kyle Shanahan doesn't seem so creative and Brock Purdy doesn't seem so great. Purdy doesn't have the arm strength to consistently threaten defenses deep and outside the numbers, so he needs an elite receiver out of the backfield.
Which means the 49ers are another McCaffrey injury away from potentially missing the playoffs for the second year in a row. They can give Purdy and Kittle all the money they want and spend all 11 draft picks on defense, but if McCaffrey goes down, they're in big trouble.
So the 49ers need to prepare for life after McCaffrey. And that means they need to find a dual-threat player, a running-back-wide-receiver hybrid, to eventually replace him. Because the 49ers offense is nothing without his skill set.
The 49ers have no trouble finding running backs who fit their outside zone scheme -- they can sign a good one as an undrafted free agent. What's difficult to find is a player who can line up in the backfield and command double coverage as a receiver as McCaffrey does.
Expect the 49ers to spend a second- or third-round pick on a player who is built like McCaffrey and might play like him in the 49ers' system. Iowa State's Jaylin Noel just might fit the bill.
