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49ers' Release of Khalil Herbert Could Signal Good News is Coming
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- 49ers' Release of Khalil Herbert Could Signal Good News is Coming
The San Francisco 49ers have dealt with multiple injuries in the running back room this summer.
Entering this week, Christian McCaffrey , Kaelon Black, Jordan James , and Isaac Guerendo were all out with injuries. This left Khalil Herbert , Patrick Taylor Jr. , Zamir White , and Sincere McCormick as the team's only healthy backs.
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Well, that foursome did not perform well against the Titans. McCormick was the only one to surpass even 20 yards, and the unit averaged a paltry 1.6 yards per carry.
Herbert was seen as the most promising of those four. Herbert has starting experience, and he's been a decent kick returner in the past. However, the 49ers opted to release Herbert on Monday, which could point to some potential good news.
Herbert's Release Could Mean Other Running Backs Getting Healthy
You'd think the 49ers would want as many healthy bodies in the room as possible. As soon as Herbert was released, it made me think that either McCaffrey or Black would be back at practice on Tuesday.
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Well, that's exactly what happened. Black was back on the field on Tuesday. It was the first time Black was able to practice since suffering an adductor injury during the first week of camp.
This is a big boost for the 49ers. The depth at running back was starting to be a concern, and Black looked promising before the injury.
As for Herbert, he'll now look to latch on with another team before Week 1. The running back spent 2025 with the New York Jets , where he appeared in seven games. Herbert's best season was back in 2023, when he rushed for 611 yards and two scores for the Chicago Bears .
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Now, the main question for the 49ers is when McCaffrey will come back. There have been some rumors spreading about McCaffrey staging a hold-in, but that was shut down by Ian Rapoport. Whatever the case, the 49ers need McCaffrey back on the field soon.
It'll be interesting to see if Guerendo can come back as well and help the team. Guerendo has been on the PUP list this summer, but due to the questionable depth, it wouldn't be surprising if he were to still land a roster spot.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Aug 18, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
