According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the 49ers gained running back depth with former Packers backup Patrick Taylor. Taylor joins an already crowded room as a potential camp body who will try to break into a larger role throughout the offseason.
Taylor signed with the Packers as an undrafted free agent out of Memphis in 2020. Taylor would miss the back half of his senior year due to a foot injury after two successful years with the Tigers, during which he carried for 1,988 yards and 29 touchdowns. Green Bay took a chance on him as an undrafted free agent, and he spent his whole rookie season on the reserve/non-football injury list until joining the practice squad in 2021.
In his sophomore season, Taylor was elevated to the active roster in November to make his NFL debut, participating in nine games and rushing for 89 yards and one score. In the two years since, he has appeared in 15 games and rushed for 172 yards.
He did not spend the entire 2023 season in Green Bay, however. After signing Taylor to their active roster in October, the Packers dismissed him. The Patriots signed Taylor as a free agent to their practice squad. Green Bay decided to bring him back, signing him from New England’s practice squad to their active roster, where he would spend the rest of the season.
Taylor arrives in San Francisco to find the NFL’s highest-paid running back, Christian McCaffrey, already in the room. Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason both handled backup duties fairly evenly in 2023, but Mitchell missed several games due to injury, and both are expected to return. Taylor has more receiving experience, but McCaffrey is also good at it.
So, Taylor has some competition ahead of him. He’ll try to earn his way onto the roster and, if necessary, may be kept on hand in case Mitchell or others miss any additional time.