The San Francisco 49ers parted ways with another key player on Saturday when they traded running back Jordan Mason, but the latest deal may be a positive sign for the team.

Mason was traded from San Francisco to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick. The deal, which also involved a pick swap, continued what has been an offseason talent purge for the 49ers.

Mason has averaged an impressive 5.3 yards per carry in his three-year NFL career. He rushed for 789 yards on 153 carries after being thrust into a bigger role last year because of Christian McCaffrey’s Achilles woes.

Many have wondered why the Niners found it worthwhile to trade a valuable insurance policy for a sixth-round pick. For starters, Mason was owed $5.3 million next season. San Francisco probably did not want to pay that much for a backup running back.

The trade could also signal that McCaffrey is healthy. McCaffrey’s status was unclear throughout all of last offseason. He wound up playing in only four regular-season games, so Mason filled a significant void for a while. San Francisco’s decision to part ways with Mason may mean the team is confident McCaffrey will be healthy heading into 2025.

Of course, running backs always seem to thrive in Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Isaac Guerendo is entering his second NFL season and on a much more team-friendly contract. He became the “next man up” in San Francisco after Mason suffered an ankle injury in Week 13. Guerendo rushed for 420 yards and four touchdowns and averaged an impressive 5.0 yards per carry as a rookie.

Niners fans are hoping the Mason trade is an indication that McCaffrey is ready to return to his All-Pro form. In reality, Shanahan and general manager John Lynch are likely confident they can get equal production out of a much less expensive player than Mason.