SANTA CLARA, Calif. _ Alfred Morris is coming to join the 49ers' injury-depleted running back corps with a legitimate shot at making the opening-day roster, coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday at training camp.
Morris first will have to pass a physical Tuesday in Houston, where the 49ers are embedding themselves the rest of this week for joint practices ahead of Saturday night's exhibition.
"I told him I wouldn't have waited him so long to invite him unless I believed he had a chance to make the team," Shanahan said. "I do believe he has a chance to make the team here. That's all Alf wants, a chance to compete. With some of these injuries, he does have a chance."
The 49ers practiced without their top three running backs. Starter Jerick McKinnon strained his right calf Sunday and is out this week and likely all exhibition season; backup Matt Breida separated his right shoulder in Thursday's exhibition; and, Joe Williams missed the past two practices to attend his brother-in-law's funeral in New Jersey but will meet the 49ers in Houston.
Morris, 29, has spent this summer training in Florida, and his 5-foot-10, 220-pound frame will offer a "Thunder" approach to the lightning-quick capabilities of McKinnon and Breida, when healthy.
Morris rushed for 1,613 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2012 as a rookie in Shanahan's system at Washington, where he played four seasons before becoming mostly a Dallas Cowboys backup the past two seasons. Shanahan served as the offensive coordinator under his father, Mike, during Morris' first two seasons before Washington made a coaching change.
"Alf did a great job for us for the two years I was with him," Shanahan said. "It's not flashy but he runs extremely hard. He's very reliable. He's a hard-nosed runner you can keep handing the ball."
After that rookie season, Morris' yards-per-carry average steadily dropped, from 4.8 to 4.6, 4.1, 3.7 and 3.5. But he reversed course last season, averaging 4.8 yards (115 carries, 547 yards) while starting five games in place of the suspended Ezekiel Elliott.
The 49ers' need for a veteran back became more urgent Thursday when McKinnon left practice with what initially was thought a knee injury but was later diagnosed as a high, calf strain. McKinnon wore a compression sleeve on his right leg and walked gingerly on it at Monday's session.
"Everyone gets a little worried when it's by your knee. Yesterday he said it didn't hurt that bad so he wasn't that worried," Shanahan said. "Once he got assurance it was his calf, it made sense he didn't have that much pain.
"He felt much better today and he was frustrated he can't get that work he and we all need until Week 1. But at least he feels good he'll be ready for Week 1."
After McKinnon went down, the 49ers have practiced with only running backs Raheem Mostert, Jeremy McNichols and Jeff Wilson. The Texas-based Morris did not previously work out for the 49ers when free agency began, as they instead focused on landing McKinnon and did so with a four-year, $30 million deal.
