As Gore Goes, So Will The Niners

With almost 1,700 yards last season, Frank Gore emerged as one of the league's top backs. In his second pro season, Gore proved that trading Kevan Barlow last summer was the right move to make. In addition, Gore finished the season with 2,180 yards from scrimmage and led the team with 61 receptions, establishing himself not only as an exceptional runner ,but as a solid all-purpose threat, as well.

It is behind Gore that things start to look thin, depth-wise. To say that the Niners lack depth at running back is an understatement. Behind Gore and quarterback Alex Smith, the team's third-leading rusher from 2006 was rookie Michael Robinson, a converted QB out of Penn State. Robinson is a great athlete and has potential, as illustrated by his two-touchdown performance against the Eagles last September; however, he had just 38 carries as a rookie and remains both unproven and untested.

The problem facing the Niners is this. Should Gore still to be thought of like fine china? He has dealt with major injury problems in the past. After a 500-yard freshman campaign at the University of Miami, he tore the ACL in his left knee in the of spring 2002, when he was listed on the Hurricanes depth chart ahead of such future NFL stars as Willis McGahee and Clinton Portis. He returned in 2003 and played four games, but he went on to tear his right ACL that year. Gore worked hard and managed to recover well from that injury, gaining nearly 1,000 yards in 2004, but struggled somewhat with a groin problem in his first NFL season in '05. Most questions about Gore's durability were put to rest after his phenomenal '06 season, but any time a running back has dealt with knee and groin problems in the past, there is definitely concern. One wrong move on either knee and it could be career over for Gore and square one again for the Niners.

The 49ers cannot afford to lose Gore for the simple fact that they aren't adequately prepared to replace him. No other returning RB on the roster has ever posted more than 100 carries or 400 yards in a single season, and character issue labelled rookie sixth-round pick Thomas Clayton gained fewer yards in his career at Kansas State than Gore did in '06 alone.

For the 49ers to become a playoff contender this year, Gore needs to stay healthy. If they lose him, that is a lot to put on Alex Smith's shoulders. So a word of advice, enjoy the run he's on, because who knows how long it will last.