BREAKING: 49ers Placing RB Christian McCaffrey On Injured Reserve

Adam Schefter reports that the 49ers are placing RB Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve on Saturday.

Schefter adds that the team hopes McCaffrey’s Achilles tendinitis and calf injury are fully healed by the time he returns after missing four games.

The move is not a surprising one, as it was recently reported that the team was considering placing their star running back on the list.

49ers RB Jordan Mason figures to handle the bulk of the rushing opportunities with McCaffrey out of the lineup. 

McCaffrey, 27, is a former first-round pick of the Panthers back in 2017. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $17.224 million contract when the Panthers signed him to a new four-year, $64 million contract extension that also included his expected fifth-year option.

Carolina opted to restructure McCaffrey’s deal before trading him to the 49ers in exchange for a 2023 second, third, and fourth-round pick, as well as a fifth-round pick in 2024.

He was due base salaries of $11.8 million and $12 million over the final two years of the deal before signing his new extension.

In 2023, McCaffrey appeared in 16 games for the 49ers and rushed for 1,459 yards on 272 carries (5.4 YPC) to go along with 67 receptions for 564 yards receiving and 21 total touchdowns.

We will have more on McCaffrey as it becomes available.