Mar 11, 2025 9:27 am: The 49ers are giving Mason (ankle) a second-round restricted free agent tender, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.
Analysis: It's a bit surprising to see Mason get a tender for over $5 million after his hot start to 2024 tailed off. The 49ers were in a tough spot, as an original-round tender would've cost about $2 million less but wouldn't have provided any draft compensation if they declined to match an offer sheet from another team (because Mason was undrafted originally). In any case, the 49ers don't necessarily have to keep Mason on the tender; they can use it as a bridge to a multi-year contract or a trade. If he does stay in San Francisco, he'll likely be the No. 2 running back behind Christian McCaffrey, although Isaac Guerendo is capable of pushing for the role. Mason missed the final five weeks of the 2024 season with a high-ankle sprain, but there hasn't been any report of surgery or a prolonged recovery/rehab process.