The San Francisco 49ers are strengthening their running back group by adding former Green Bay Packers RB Patrick Taylor Jr. There were thoughts that San Francisco would choose an RB in the 2024 NFL draft, but they're already moving forward with Taylor.
Adam Schefter, a reporter from ESPN, was the first to announce the signing on April 3.
“The 49ers are bringing in former Green Bay Packers RB Patrick Taylor Jr. on a one-year contract, according to a source,” Schefter shared on X. “After facing the 49ers in the playoffs, Taylor is now joining them. Taylor’s agent @chriscabott of @equitysports confirmed the deal.”
Taylor Jr. is approaching his fourth NFL season and has been with Green Bay for the past three years. During that time, he was consistently the third-string option behind Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon.
Taylor will probably have a similar role with San Francisco, but he might also find it challenging to make the team. Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel handle most of the touches, and Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason are both good options as backups and are on relatively inexpensive contracts.
On the other hand, both Mitchell and Mason are entering the final year of their current contracts. So this move could be a way to prepare for a transition away from either RB.
Patrick Taylor Jr. Begins NFL Career with the Packers
After playing college football at Memphis, Taylor Jr. entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent. His junior season with the Tigers included 1319 yards from scrimmage and 18 total touchdowns, but a foot injury ruined his senior season and hurt his draft prospects.
The Packers signed Taylor after the 2020 NFL draft, but his recovery from injury led to him being placed on the injured reserve. He was never activated and didn’t begin practicing in the 2020 season until mid-December.
In the following season of 2021, he initially didn’t make the 53-man roster. Green Bay kept him on the practice squad, however. He ended up making 9 appearances as a rookie according to Pro Football Reference.
That turned out to be Taylor’s pattern for the next two years. He has been released and added to the practice squad every year since 2021. However, he has often been activated and utilized despite not being a 53-man roster member for most of his time.
In 34 appearances, Taylor has carried the ball 65 times for 261 yards and one touchdown.
49ers are Still Pursuing Brandon Aiyuk
While San Francisco is clearly active in free agency with moves like this, they are also working to keep Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk commented on the situation on March 28.
“I’m trying to get what I deserve,” Aiyuk stated on “The Night Cap” podcast on Thursday. “I feel like this season, this season playing football, I figured out who I was as a person and a player — what I bring to the table, what I bring to the locker room, what I bring to the organization.”
That’s a reasonable standpoint, especially considering Aiyuk led the 49ers in receiving yards in the past two seasons. Nevertheless, giving out substantial money to players like Aiyuk is often easier said than done.
