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Starter: Marcel Reece/Jamize Olawale
Reece will spend the first three games of next season on the Suspended list, which also cost him his fourth consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl. Olawale was signed to an extension late last season.
Condition: Touch and go
Reece is coming off arguably his worst season since his first. He is about to turn 31 years old and is entering the final year of a 4-year deal he signed prior to the 2013 season. He appeared sluggish at times last year and began losing playing time to Olawale.
Olawale is a Bay Area native who attend East Bay football factory De LaSalle High School. He showed some good burst last season on a couple of occasions, impressing the coaches enough for them to make the decision to offer him an extension before the season was over. He has a very similar skillset to Reece, right down to being a former college wide receiver. He is slated as the starter at least for the first three weeks and perhaps beyond.
Reece will represent a cap hit of $3.5 million next season. If they see Olawale as not just the future, but he present as well, they will have a decision to make as to whether they think Reece is worth his salary as a part time player who won't be available for the first three weeks.
There may not be any need to go after a fullback in the draft, but if a good prospect were available late, it could be worth it to make sure they have someone in place to add some competition and insurance at the position.
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