In a revelation that is not surprising news, 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed that running back Brandon Jacobs has potentially done enough to earn a roster spot. He didn't say he is on the roster, but we can infer just as much from the comments.
When Jacobs was first signed, there was a lot of discussion about his chances of making the roster. He was signed to a very team-friendly deal, and given the presence of Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter, it was not surprising to see that kind of chatter. However, over the last two preseason games prior to his knee injury, Jacobs was showing some strong skills as a punishing, physical runner. It's only been a few runs, but if he carries that over into the regular season, the 49ers short yardage game could be in great shape.
There was some discussion in the 49ers-Packers thread earlier today about Jacobs potential role. While Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter would seem to be in line for the lion's share of the carries, I think a healthy Brandon Jacobs will find an important situational role. I caught some discussion around Twitter of people thinking Jacobs would climb into the number two role, but in reality I think either Kendall Hunter is the clear number two, or it's a number two by committee. The three running backs behind Gore bring different skill-sets to the table, and have their own specific value. I think we'll see plenty of Brandon Jacobs this season.