The San Francisco 49ers are bringing back running back Sincere McCormick less than two weeks after cutting him.
San Francisco announced on June 10 that it signed McCormick to a one-year deal. To make room on the roster, the 49ers waived running back Jordan Mims, who had only signed with the team on May 28.
For McCormick, this is a quick return to a familiar roster. The 49ers previously signed him on April 28 before waiving him on May 28, the same day they added Mims and Jermar Jefferson. Now, McCormick is back in the building as San Francisco continues sorting through its running back depth ahead of training camp.
The move does not change the top of the 49ers’ backfield, but it does add another experienced option to a position group that has seen plenty of churn. McCormick has only appeared in five regular-season NFL games, but his limited sample has been efficient: 39 carries for 183 yards, good for 4.7 yards per attempt, along with six catches for 29 yards.
That is the part of the signing that makes it worth watching. McCormick is not arriving as a headline addition, but he gives the 49ers another back with NFL touches, practice squad experience and a productive college résumé.
Sincere McCormick Gives the 49ers Another Camp Back With Production on His Resume
McCormick entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022. Since then, he has spent time with the Raiders, 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings. His 2025 season was mostly a practice squad tour, including stops with San Francisco, Arizona, Denver and Minnesota.
The 49ers clearly saw enough value to circle back.
McCormick is listed at 5-foot-8 and 204 pounds, which gives him a compact build for a running back competing for depth work. His strongest selling point remains what he did before the NFL. At UTSA, McCormick piled up 3,939 rushing yards and 34 rushing touchdowns over three seasons, while also adding 66 receptions for 509 yards and another touchdown.
He was twice named Conference USA Offensive Player of the Year and twice earned First-Team All-Conference USA honors. In 2021, he was also an AP Third-Team All-American.
That production does not guarantee a 53-man roster spot, especially in San Francisco’s system. But it explains why teams have continued to keep him on call. McCormick has been productive enough as a runner, has some receiving background and has already been through multiple NFL buildings.
For a team that has often needed running back depth over the course of a long season, that matters.
McCormick Returns to a Crowded 49ers Running Back Room
The 49ers’ running back picture is still led by Christian McCaffrey, with Jordan James, Isaac Guerendo, Kaelon Black and Patrick Taylor Jr. also part of the broader competition. Outside depth backs are often fighting for more than offensive touches in camp. Special teams value, pass protection, ball security and practice reliability can all shape the final decision.
That is where McCormick’s path becomes more complicated.
He is not just competing to show he can run the ball. He has to show he can help the 49ers in the smaller areas that determine whether a depth running back sticks. San Francisco already has more prominent names in the room, so McCormick’s best chance is likely to prove he is dependable enough to keep around as insurance, either on the active roster or as a practice squad candidate.
The timing is also notable. The 49ers waived McCormick on May 28, then brought him back on June 10. That quick reversal suggests San Francisco’s front office is still evaluating the final spots at running back rather than settling on one fixed group before camp.
Mims, meanwhile, had a brief stay with the 49ers. He signed on May 28 and was waived less than two weeks later when McCormick returned.
For McCormick, the transaction gives him another opportunity with a franchise that already had a recent look at him. For the 49ers, it is another small bet on a running back who has produced whenever he has received a real workload — even if his next challenge is proving he can do enough without one.
San Francisco 49ers Announce Signing of Playmaker RB Weeks After Cutting Him