It would seem clear that the Niners do not intend to extend Carlos Hyde. Personally, I think that that makes good sense from the viewpoints of both parties. For the Niners, they can obtain better value by finding a replacement who is a better scheme-fit for Shanahan's zone scheme for less money than Carlos may command. For Hyde, his skill-set is better suited for a power-run scheme where he can be the featured RB and will likely perform better than he did in 2017. A win-win situation.

Identifying the right replacement is a two-tiered process. The first question is: Given that the RB roster without Hyde consists of 4 young guys with very limited experience, does it make more sense to seek a replacement via free agency or through the draft? Then, based upon that answer ...

If via free agency, should the Niners sign:

• A bigger RB like Isaiah Crowell (age 25), who is a tough all-around runner, who is faster than Hyde and is also a good receiver and blocker, and who Shanahan worked with in Cleveland.

• A smaller speed back like ...

Dion Lewis (age 28), a speed back with good receiving skills but who has a frequently-injured history, or

Jerick McKinnon (age 25), a speed back younger than Lewis who has flashed in the past and "wants to be the guy" but who has never yet been given that opportunity

.

If via the draft, should the Niners:

• Trade up in the draft to select a second-round RB like Ronald Jones, Sony Michel, or Rashaad Penny, or

• Simply select a guy in the mid-rounds from a very deep RB class