SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Frank Gore someday might get a chance to return to the 49ers and add to his franchise-leading rushing total.
It’s not happening yet, however, even after a barrage of injuries forced the 49ers to sign other running backs ahead of Sunday night’s home opener against the Green Bay Packers.
Asked Wednesday if the 49ers considered adding Gore, coach Kyle Shanahan didn’t exactly confirm that.
“I would never put anything past Frank,” Shanahan said. “If we probably give him a little heads up and some notice, he’d always be ready to help the team. Thought it was a little early for that.”
With Raheem Mostert lost to season-ending knee surgery, the 49ers likely won’t have his immediate replacement available this week, that being rookie Elijah Mitchell, who sustained a shoulder injury that Shanahan acknowledged is worse than a nerve stinger.
JaMycal Hasty (high ankle sprain) is out, but Trey Sermon is progressing through the NFL’s concussion protocol and was to be limited in Wednesday practice.
Chris Thompson, formerly of Washington and Jacksonville, was added to the practice squad, where the 49ers already have Kerryon Johnson as an option to promote. Also on the 53-man roster are Trenton Cannon and Jacques Patrick, the latter of whom they poached Tuesday off the Cincinnati Bengals’ practice squad.
“Our guys still have a chance to play this week,” Shanahan added. “So we looked at that with an opportunity to not having 53 (players) on our roster, to try stealing someone off a practice squad, which we did (Patrick), and try to add a practice squad guy, which we did (Thompson).”
Gore, 38, is unemployed after two games for the first time in a storied career that began with the 49ers from 2005-14. He played last season with the New York Jets after stops with the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and Indianapolis Colts.
Jed York, the 49ers’ CEO, considers Gore a close confidant and vowed that someday Gore would return to at least sign a ceremonial contract upon retiring.
Is there a reunion possible to keep Gore’s career alive?
“We never fully ruled that out,” Shanahan said. “I don’t know exactly where he’s at right now. We have a number of people here that have a relationship with him.
“If that time ever. Comes and we need to do that and he wants to do it, we’d never rule that out.”
