One of the interesting random tidbits to come out of last week's player workouts was the appearance of 49ers running back Frank Gore. Over the course of his career, Gore has generally stayed in Miami for his offseason workouts before getting back in time for training camp (or shortly into training camp as with last year).
This year, Frank Gore's new contract includes a $400,000 workout bonus. While he might be wanting to show leadership and be a stand-up guy, there is a decent chance that $400,000 bonus played a role in his decision (this being said without knowing the full details of the bonus).
Although Frank Gore is the number one back in San Francisco, he'll see himself losing more carries no matter how the spots behind him fill out. The 49ers added Brandon Jacobs in free agency and LaMichael James in the draft. Jewel Hampton comes in as an undrafted free agent, only adding competition for time.
For now, James will likely battle Hunter for carries, but the combination of the two will result in fewer carries for Gore. If Jacobs makes the 53-man roster, he'll likely grab some carries away from Gore as well. Gore had 282 carries last season, which was his second highest total, trailing only his record-breaking season when he had 312 carries. Depending on how many backs are on the roster behind Gore, I suspect he'll finish the season in the 200-220 range. It could end up even lower than that depending on how the passing game develops, but I suspect we'll see the second lowest carries total of Gore's career (he had 127 carries his rookie season).