The San Francisco 49ers signed running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn to a one-year deal ahead of their first preseason game against the Denver Broncos. Vaughn signed with the 49ers’ practice squad in August 2024. He would go on to appear in three games for the Niners during the season, before being released on January 13, 2025.

The running back depth chart is thin. Isaac Guerendo and Jordan James are both sidelined with injuries. Assuming Christian McCaffrey doesn’t play, the only healthy backs on the roster are Patrick Taylor Jr., Corey Kiner, and Ameer Abdullah. We can expect each of those three to be on various special teams units, so the need for a fourth running back was much-needed.

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Kiner is walking into an ideal opportunity where he can earn more playing time with an impressive performance tonight. Taylor Jr., Abdullah, and Vaughn are all in the mold of third-down backs. It wouldn’t be surprising to see Kiner have 20 carries.

To make room for Vaughn, the 49ers waived offensive lineman Zack Johnson, who signed to the practice squad in December 2024, before eventually signing a Reserve/Future contract with the Niners in early January 2025.