The San Francisco 49ers have released third-year running LaMichael James.
James, 24, was drafted by the 49ers out of Oregon in the second round of the 2012 NFL draft. During his time with San Francisco, he was never able to find a big role on offense. Throughout his tenure with San Francisco, James only got on the field for a total of 139 snaps.
The decision comes after a Week 1 win against the Dallas Cowboys and was apparently a mutual decision. James' agent, Jeff Sperbeck, passed along James' comments on the release,"LaMichael James appreciates the 49ers for granting him his release request & allowing him to pursue his career elsewhere."
Jim Harbaugh also confirmed the release via San Francisco 49ers:
"Harbaugh confirmed the #49ers have released LaMichael James." — San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 8, 2014
James will be subject to waivers before he can go wherever he pleases. The big issue in James' case was likely his lack of playing time on the field. James was getting play through the return game.
What This Means For San Francisco
The 49ers will need to replace James at returner. This should not be too difficult a task since James was not in the offensive game-plan. Carlos Hyde has looked really good as the 49ers' backup running back, carrying the ball 7 times for 50 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Cowboys. The 49ers are still waiting on RB Marcus Lattimore, and if he becomes healthy in the future they will have a trio of running backs to use in their offense. As for now, Frank Gore and Hyde will carry the load.
Depending on where he lands next, James can be an offensive weapon despite his limited success at the NFL level thus far. With his speed and play-making ability, teams will want to add that to their arsenal. The Eagles may look into James to use in their offense, since they do not have a true third running back yet.