The 2024 season was not only a rude awakening for the 49ers, but it also gave their star running back Christian McCaffrey something he won’t ever forget. Just one year removed from coming a hair’s breadth away from winning his first Super Bowl, McCaffrey’s season started the worst way possible. Rupturing his Achilles tendonitis landed him in the injury reserve until he came back for the second half of the season. But things again took a turn for the worse as a knee injury in week 13 was the final nail in the coffin to McCaffrey’s season. However, against all odds and a year full of adversity, it seems McCaffrey is finally coming back to his full capacity.

An NFL doctor, Jeff Mueller, just announced McCaffrey is fully healthy with the Achilles and PCL in the rear view mirror. This means it won’t be too long before CMC is back rushing through defenders at the Bay Area. Actually, this update came on the back of a latest decision the 49ers took on McCaffrey’s backup.

Despite having a career-high season (789 yards on 153 carries and 3 TDs), the Niners decided to trade Jordan Mason to the Vikings. This led to a Vikings fan account wondering why the 49ers traded him away. Well, Mueller believes the Niners didn’t want to pay $5M to keep Mason in San Fran. So, instead of investing in him, the 49ers shipped him away to Minnesota in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick and No.160 overall this year. Mason got his two-year, $7M fully guaranteed contract with a potential to earn up to $12M.

This could seem like a great deal for the Niners as Mason also didn’t play in all of the games where McCaffrey couldn’t make it. On week 13, he suffered a high ankle sprain just minutes after replacing McCaffrey, who had gone out for the season. And a few days later, it was confirmed that Mason’s season had also ended prematurely. Those dual blows to the 49ers RB room led to Kyle Shanahan looking at his former 4th round pick, Isaac Guerendo.

But those injuries didn’t even leave the 49ers’ third string running back along. As Guerendo also suffered a knee and ankle injury in the regular-season finale loss to the Cardinals. His rookie year ended with 420 rushing yards on 84 carries with 4 TDs. So, with McCaffrey coming back, it will be only Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. until the Niners draft a new RB. And they probably will considering McCaffrey is being linked to a surprising move to the Broncos.

Is CMC really going to Mile High City? 

49ers had been the busiest team in this free agency window. Actually, not in signing players, it’s the other way around. CBS Sports Douglas Clawson reported a crazy stat surrounding the 49ers’ first four days in free agency. “Through four days of free agency, other teams have spent $321M on 49ers free agents, the most on a team’s departing free agents in NFL history.” And what have they done in response to replacing those free agents? Well, a whole of nothing. “San Francisco has only doled out $37M through four days of free agency. That adds up to the worst free agent spending deficit ($284M) in NFL history, by over $80M.”

And you know this deficit could actually grow bigger considering the rumors swirling around CMC’s future. ESPN’s analyst Ryan Clark believes the 49ers should go all in if they are really in for a complete rebuild. That means they should probably cash in on McCaffrey while he is still a hot prospect in the market. “I would absolutely trade Christian McCaffrey and I would try to get as much as I could possibly get for him.” With that being said, Denver Post writer Troy Renck believes the Broncos, “bringing him the former Valor Christian star would make a great Disney script.”

But obviously it won’t be easy at least from Denver. They have already spent a lot bringing down their salary cap to only $21.42M. And even if they make space in their salary cap. Getting CMC would mean they will have to give a significant chunk of their draft capital. A 2025 first round pick, third and fifth round could probably be enough to get CMC in Mile High City. But will it happen? Well, that’s a different ball game. Surely the 49ers wouldn’t give up on McCaffrey after he was limited to just 4 games in 2024. Yes, there’s a concern about injuries, but when healthy, CMC was a beast, on his way to winning the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year.