San Francisco 49ers: Carlos Hyde already improved for 2016

It was a frustrating 2015 season for Carlos Hyde of the San Francisco 49ers, but the running back is already improved for 2016.

It was an extremely disappointing season for the San Francisco 49ers in 2015, as one of the most historic franchises in the NFL became very dysfunctional. In 2012, the 49ers were a play away from being the Super Bowl Champions, and now they are in the cellar in the NFL with numerous issues. The quarterback situation with Colin Kaepernick is the most glaring issue that the 49ers need to address and figure out, but there are plenty of other issues on the team.

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After a solid rookie season in 2014, Carlos Hyde was given the reigns at the running back position after Frank Gore left to join the Indianapolis Colts. Replacing a player like Gore, who had such a great career in San Francisco hasn’t been easy so far for Hyde, who was able to play in just seven games last season.

In 2015, Hyde totaled 470 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns, and a 4.1 yards per carry average. He was on his way to a decent season before a foot injury would end his season. After undergoing surgery to repair his foot, Hyde is ready for a big year in 2016 and has also shed some weight from last season.

With Chip Kelly as the new head coach of the 49ers, running the football will be key to offensive success. Kelly’s offense is very fast and explosive, but running the football is key to it having succeed. Last season in Philadelphia, Kelly was unable to get DeMarco Murray to have success in his offense, as Murry had a massive drop off in production in 2015 after a career-year in Dallas.

As of now, the quarterback situation is still very uncertain for the 49ers, as no guarantees have been made to Kaepernick that he will be the starting quarterback in 2016. There has been a lot of talk between the Broncos and the 49ers about Kaepernick, as there could still be a trade made between the two teams before the start of the season.

Blaine Gabbert had more success than Kaepernick last season, but running the football effectively will be key to the 49ers trying to turn things around after a down season no matter who the quarterback is in 2016.

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Hyde was a second-round pick of the 49ers in the 2014 NFL Draft, as they certainly envision him as a staple of their backfield for years to come. With Kelly as the head coach, it is great to see Hyde being proactive and make the physical changes necessary to help him best succeed in his third season. With plenty of time before training camp, Hyde may look to get even thinner to start the season, as he has already dropped 10lbs from 235lbs.

If Hyde is able to stay healthy in 2016 he will be poised for a great season, as the 49ers will be relying heavily on the third-year running back to spark their lackluster offense.