The San Francisco 49ers were comfortable letting Frank Gore walk in free agency because they were excited about expanding Carlos Hyde's role. Hyde, a 2014 second-round pick, impressed coaches with his speed during his rookie year and was intended to be a big part of the team's offense in 2015. But then the 49ers went out and signed running back Reggie Bush and now it's possible that Hyde's role could be a bit smaller than originally thought.
"He's a runner, he's not a gadget guy," new Niners head coach Jim Tomsula said of Bush.
Tomsula has praised Bush since San Fran signed him after the Detroit Lions released him. Of course, all of that could just be meaningless coach talk. But Bush has proved capable of starting before. He topped 1,000 rushing yards in 2011 and 2013 and is obviously a fantastic pass-catching back. However, injuries and age are the big question marks when it comes to Bush. The former No.2 overall pick turned 30 this month and is coming off a season in which he missed five games and carried the ball just 76 times.
In all likelihood, the 49ers will continue with their plan to install Hyde as the top back. But if Bush is healthy, Tomsula seems open to giving him more snaps than fans might have expected.
