ST. LOUIS – Yes, the San Francisco 49ers made the somewhat eyebrow-raising decision to waive Jarryd Hayne on Saturday in favor of practice-squad running back Kendall Gaskins.
But the Niners are also hoping that their gamble to expose Hayne, the Australian rugby league convert, does not come back to bite them. They hope Hayne goes unclaimed and they can sign him to their practice squad.
“Jarryd Hayne has done everything we’ve asked him to do, OK?” coach Jim Tomsula said following his team’s 27-6 loss to the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. “I made the decision to bring up a power back for the game today.”
The move may have back backfired anyway, though.
Consider: With Carlos Hyde inactive nursing a stress fracture in his left foot, veteran Reggie Bush suffered a freak knee injury that the team fears "could be an ACL," according to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter, when Bush slipped on exposed concrete ringing the field. Then rookie Mike Davis suffered a hand injury that, if broken, will require the 49ers to find another running back.
More than a few of you have asked about Ray Rice, and while the name is intriguing, it’s hard to envision the Niners going there at this time.
The team is in a tailspin at 2-6 and in last place in the NFC West, with the Atlanta Falcons heading to Santa Clara next week followed by the bye.
And no, the bye is not favored over the 49ers.
In fact, the Niners becoming such an afterthought may actually be their best shot at getting Hayne back. Because if they were more in the race – they are four games behind the Arizona Cardinals, 2 ½ behind the Rams and two back of the Seattle Seahawks, who did show interest in Hayne before he chose to come to Santa Clara – there might be more incentive to block the Niners.
Then again, there’s a team up the freeway from Santa Clara that is in need of a punt returner. The Oakland Raiders, who are getting a good season out of former 49ers receiver Michael Crabtree and something out of Aldon Smith, just might want to steal some more of their Bay Area rival's thunder.
Unless, of course, they don’t need Hayne and care even less about sticking it to the 49ers, who actually do need their popular international player more than ever now.