Kendall Hunter Back to San Francisco 49ers After Torn ACL

Kendall Hunter is back with the San Francisco 49ers after missing an entire season due to an ACL tear.

Hunter previously suffered an ACL tear in August 2014 which kept him at bay for the whole NFL season. However, quarterback Colin Kaepernick recently mentioned Hunter as one of their key running backs after losing Frank Gore to the Indianapolis Colts.

Kaepernick said in a report by NFL.com, "We have Kendall coming back, who a lot of people forget about. Carlos (Hyde) had a great rookie year for us, and we'll probably be using him a lot more this year. We've brought Reggie (Bush) in who's another great weapon in offense. And those are just to name a few of the guys that we have back there. (Gore will) be missed, but we also have people who are more than capable of filling that void."

Frank Gore was San Francisco's main running back for a decade before moving to Indianapolis. The team might use a variety of backs to rely on in the backfield until they find the right man who can step into Gore's shoes.

Hyde is in his second season with the team, Reggie Bush was acquired from free agency while Hunter is back after an eight-month hiatus. Based on a report by NBC Sports Jarryd Hayne is yet to show his skills in the 49ers roster, but he showed how he can keep up with several defensive backs that are at least 25 pounds lighter than he is. Hyde might be the team's go-to guy to take on the power-back role in offense, while Hunter and Bush will serve as pass-catchers. The 49ers aim to stay in the top 10 in terms of rushing attempts with their new backs.

NFL.com showed a video of the San Francisco 49ers during their first week of offseason training, which involved Hunter. Hunter averaged 4.6 yards per carry during his initial three years with the 49ers. If he is back in full health at the start of the NFL season, he can become a reliable weapon for the team on third downs and will function as a good passing option for Kaepernick.

The Sacramento Bee reported that in the video, many 49ers players who were forced to stay off the field in 2014 due to injuries were also shown to be back in training. Safety Jimmie Ward, guard Brandon Thomas, nose tackle Ian Williams and tight ends, Derek Carrier, Vance McDonald and Garrett Celek all participated in the session.