Santa Clara, California — The San Francisco 49ers wasted no time bringing back a familiar face to their running back room this week.
After clearing a roster spot with a backfield move, the organization immediately turned to a player who already knows the building.
The decision quickly shifted attention toward San Francisco’s plan for depth, competition, and reliability entering training camp.
That player is Sincere McCormick.
According to reports, the 49ers re-signed McCormick to a one-year contract after waiving running back Jordan Mims.
The move gives San Francisco another running back with NFL experience and previous familiarity with Kyle Shanahan’s offensive system.
For a team that values timing, trust, and preparation, bringing back a known option makes plenty of sense.
This was not simply a random signing.
It was a reunion.
McCormick has already spent time with the 49ers multiple times over the past year.
He was part of San Francisco’s practice squad during the 2025 season.
He later signed with the club again on April 28, 2026.
But that stay did not last long.
McCormick was released on May 28, the same day Jordan Mims joined the roster.
Now, only weeks later, the situation has flipped again.
Mims has been waived.
49ers signed RB Sincere Mccormick to a one-year deal and waived RB Jordan Mims.— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 10, 2026
McCormick is back.
For San Francisco, that sequence makes the move more interesting than a normal depth transaction.
The 49ers did not simply add another running back.
They brought back someone they had already evaluated, coached, and trusted enough to revisit.
That familiarity can matter inside Shanahan’s offense.
Running backs in San Francisco are asked to do far more than carry the football.
They must understand zone concepts, cutback lanes, pass protection, motion timing, route responsibilities, and ball security.
A player who already knows the system can enter the competition with an immediate advantage.
That may explain why the 49ers moved quickly after creating the roster space.
McCormick may not arrive as a headline star.
But he brings experience, toughness, and knowledge of what San Francisco expects from its backs.
That is valuable before training camp.
The running back room is always competitive in Santa Clara.
Every rep matters.
Every assignment matters.
Every missed opportunity can change the depth chart.
By bringing McCormick back immediately, the 49ers showed they wanted a more familiar and prepared option in the room.
McCormick entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.
He remained with Las Vegas through 2024 while trying to carve out a steady professional role.
During the 2025 season, he moved between multiple practice squads across the league.
Those stops included the 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos, and Minnesota Vikings.
For some players, that kind of path can be discouraging.
For McCormick, it has kept him alive in the NFL conversation.
He has continued earning chances because teams see enough value to keep evaluating him.
Now San Francisco is giving him another one.
Across five career NFL games, including two starts, McCormick has recorded 39 rushing attempts for 183 yards.
That gives him an average of 4.7 yards per carry.
He has also caught six passes for 29 yards.
Those numbers are not massive.
But they show he has handled real NFL touches.
For a depth running back, that matters.
San Francisco does not need McCormick to walk in as a featured weapon.
The 49ers need him to compete.
They need him to understand the details.
They need him to protect the ball.
They need him to take practice reps without slowing down the offense.
At 5-foot-8 and 204 pounds, McCormick brings a compact frame and enough physicality to fight for tough yards.
His running style gives the 49ers another option to evaluate during camp and preseason.
The move also gives the coaching staff a familiar player during a critical evaluation window.
Training camp can quickly test roster depth.
Injuries happen.
Reps pile up.
Special teams work becomes important.
And coaches need players who can handle assignments without confusion.
That is why this reunion makes sense.
McCormick already knows what San Francisco demands.
He has been in the room.
He has learned the language.
He has gone through the process before.
Now he gets another chance to turn that familiarity into a longer stay.
For Mims, the move represents a difficult setback.
He joined the team on May 28 hoping to compete for a role.
But less than a few weeks later, San Francisco chose to go back to a player it already knew.
That is the harsh reality of NFL roster building.
Teams constantly compare fit, experience, availability, and trust.
If a familiar option gives them more confidence, changes can happen quickly.
That appears to be exactly what happened here.
The 49ers opened a spot.
Then they immediately brought back McCormick.
It was not just a transaction.
It was a calculated reunion.
For McCormick, the opportunity is clear.
He has been with San Francisco before.
He has been released before.
And now he has been brought back again.
The next step is proving the 49ers were right to give him another look.
The backfield competition has changed.
The roster has shifted.
And McCormick now has another chance to fight for a place in one of the NFL’s most demanding rushing attacks.
For San Francisco, the message is simple.
They want competition.
They want familiarity.
And they want players who can be trusted when training camp begins.
That is why this reunion could matter more than it first appears.
Stay tuned to ESPN.