San Francisco 49ers: What will Reggie Bush bring?

The San Francisco 49ers unsurprisingly lost out on feature back Frank Gore to the RB-needy Indianapolis Colts in free agency, but they have a tailor-made replacement in Carlos Hyde, who showed enough talent as a rookie to make the 49ers feel relatively safe with him as the new No. 1 back. Hyde is an elusive, powerful runner who brings a well-rounded skill-set to the table and has the ability to be a true bell-cow rusher in this offense. Since the 49ers are comfortable with the touted Hyde, their running back signing in free agency was a third-down back in Reggie Bush.

While Bush’s best days are behind him after he averaged 3.9 yards per carry last season, the 30-year-old can still be of value to the 49ers as a pass-catcher. Despite the fact that his 2014 season was a down year marred by injury, he still managed to record 40 receptions in 11 appearances.

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You could look at Bush’s 6.3 yards per reception average in 2014 and see it as a big red flag, but I think it’s more indicative of his injuries and diminished role in the offense following Theo Riddick’s emergence. The Detroit Lions, after all, didn’t cut Bush because he was too expensive, since they didn’t even save $2 million by releasing him. No, they cut ties with him since they have a younger, better player who can do what Bush does.

The 49ers don’t have that player, even if Kendall Hunter is a quality change-of-pace back. Bush will be a nice upgrade as the No. 2 RB behind Hyde, and he’s definitely a more proven player than either Hyde or Hunter. His experience, past production, and skill-set all bring something to the table for the 49ers, and it’s what made them a good mutual fit for Bush.

It’s unclear how much money Bush will receive from the 49ers, but I’m sure he won’t be making much given his age, injury woes last season, and sub-4.0 yards per carry in what was a clear down year for him. That said, there’s plenty of reason to believe that Bush will fare out better behind a better line that includes Joe Staley and Alex Boone, and he’ll also have a bigger role in the 49ers offense.

Per Pro Football Focus, Bush forced 15 missed tackles as a rusher despite having just 76 carries, and only Roy Helu had more missed tackles forced on runs among players with less carries (Khiry Robinson had more MTs forced on exactly 76 attempts). That’s a pretty good clip, and Bush’s seven missed tackles forced on 40 receptions also highlight the fact that the former New Orleans Saints and Miami Dolphins RB is still one of the more elusive players in the league.

He’ll almost exclusively have a third-down, change-of-pace role in the 49ers offense, which means that he’ll play a critical role for this organization. Colin Kaepernick could use a back with Bush’s shakes in the open field, and Bush is also one of the more reliable pass-catching backs in the league. Reliability doesn’t equal hands, Bush dropped ten passes in 2013, but he is reliable at making plays in the open field and functioning as a safety valve. He’s a more advanced pass-catcher than most running backs, and that’s what makes him efficient; essentially, his skills make up for his inconsistent hands.

The San Francisco 49ers needed to add a weapon in the backfield on passing downs, and they might have two such players in Bush and Hunter. At the very least, Bush is someone they can rely on to put up consistent numbers when he’s on the field, and a deeper look at his missed tackles forced shows that he still has the ability to make things happen after the catch.

Reggie Bush is no longer a big-time weapon, but he is only a year removed from averaging 4.5 yards per carry, seven total touchdowns, over 1,000 rushing yards, and 54 receptions for 506 yards. Those were his 2013 numbers, and he hasn’t lost his trademark wiggle or ability to make an impact in the passing game.

Bush doesn’t have as much bust potential as most 30-year-old backs, and the fact that the 49ers most likely nabbed him on a low-risk deal means that they added a significant, quality contributor to their offense at a small position of need on the cheap. He’s a prime bounce-back candidate, though health will be a question for him here in 2015.

Next: Would Maxx Williams be a reach for 49ers?

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