49ers interested in RB Reggie Bush, per report

The San Francisco 49ers are interested in running back Reggie Bush, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Bush is also considering joining the New England Patriots and a return to the New Orleans Saints, according to Rapoport.

Bush, 30, most recently spent two seasons with the Detroit Lions, though he's had stints with the Miami Dolphins and the aforementioned Saints since the latter team made him the No. 2 overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. Bush has had a productive career, but he's been known as a more all-around running back than a guy who will put up a ton of rushing yardage.

He's only eclipsed 1,000 yards twice in his career, with the Dolphins in 2011 and with the Lions in 2013. He's got just 5,465 rushing yards in nine seasons in the NFL, but he also has 3,489 receiving yards and that's where a lot of his value comes from. Even this late into his career, Bush makes an offense more dynamic just by being on the field.

With the 49ers, he'd fit the bill as a change of pace back alongside both Carlos Hyde, the projected starter, and Kendall Hunter. There's been talk that the 49ers want to run a three-back approach and while Bush isn't exactly C.J. Spiller at this point, he would certainly make the 49ers less predictable when he's on the field.

Bush's most-recent contract was a four-year deal worth $16 million he signed with the Lions in 2013. Obviously, he didn't complete that deal, as the Lions released him following the 2014 season, keeping him from the much higher cap hits of the latter two seasons of said contract. He does have some injury concerns, as he's played a  full 16 games just twice in his career, and missed five games with the Lions last season.

Personally, my initial thought was that I didn't like this signing, but if the 49ers get him for the right price, I'm pretty OK with this. He's not going to be a massive game-changer but he provides a lot of value just being on the field, I think. The 49ers have been extremely predictable on offense in recent years, and I think that's been part of the problem. Bush doesn't guarantee success, but he certainly would make things a little more interesting.

The 49ers just saw long-time running back Frank Gore depart for free agency. Gore has signed with the Indianapolis Colts, or at the very least, he's going to very soon. It's going to be difficult seeing him in a different uniform, but he and Hyde didn't really have change-of-pace running styles and Gore doesn't want to be the second RB on the field.