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The San Francisco 49ers announced on Monday that they signed running back Kendall Hunter to a 1-year contract extension. He was due to become a free agent after this season, but signing keeps him in town through the 2015 season.
Hunter is currently on injured reserve, having torn his ACL during training camp. Hunter had returned the previous year from a torn Achilles. He has been rehabbing through the season, and will continue into the offseason. Given the timing of the ACL tear, he will be working toward a training camp comeback. He will likely be at the offseason workout program, but I'd imagine he will be working on rehab and classroom work more than on-field drills.
As it currently stands, Frank Gore will be a free agent after this season, and Marcus Lattimore is trying to decide if he will continue playing football. Whatever Lattimore decides, Carlos Hyde was going to enter the offseason as the most significant option under contract. I think this deal likely would have happened whether or not Lattimore was considering retirement. Whether Gore returns in 2015 or not, Hunter should find himself in the mix for a decent amount of work behind Hyde. It is only a 1-year deal, so it seems like the two sides have basically worked out a sort of prove it type of deal.