The San Francisco 49ers held their first open practice on Thursday, and with it came eagerness to see running back Christian McCaffrey in action for the first time since November.
After missing the majority of last season with bilateral Achilles tendonitis in both legs and then later injuring his PCL, the 49ers are expected to take things slow with McCaffrey’s reintegration.
San Francisco knows how important he is to their offense, especially quarterback Brock Purdy. Yet, Sports Illustrated’s Grant Cohn raised concerns about McCaffrey’s movement on Day 1 of organized team activities (OTAs).
Cohn claimed that McCaffrey “didn’t have a fifth gear,” and “does not have the burst he used to have.” He said McCaffrey looked slow, and he has not witnessed the former Offensive Player of the Year kick it into fifth gear since 2023.