Wednesday 8 July 2020 23:11, UK
Running back Raheem Mostert has requested a trade from the San Francisco 49ers after the team refused to give him a salary raise, his agent has confirmed.
Mostert, 28, emerged as the 49ers' leading running back last season during a breakout campaign in which he totalled 952 yards and 10 touchdowns from scrimmage.
He followed that up with 344 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns in three playoff games as the 49ers reached the Super Bowl, where they ultimately fell short against the Kansas City Chiefs.
After the season he requested a pay increase to reflect his increased role but the 49ers have not agreed to one and his agent Brett Tessler now says he wants to be traded to another team.
Tessler confirmed on Twitter: "After months of unproductive talks with the 49ers about fairly adjusting Raheem Mostert's contract (which paid him for special teams) we have requested a trade. Disappointing that it would come to this for a guy who led all NFL RBs in YPC & helped lead them to the Super Bowl."
Mostert was cut by six NFL teams before finally emerging with the 49ers under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
An undrafted free agent out of Purdue in 2015, he was primarily used as a kick returner by the Philadelphia Eagles, the Miami Dolphins, the Baltimore Ravens, the Cleveland Browns, the New York Jets and Chicago Bears.
Mostert signed with the 49ers in November 2016, but didn't make his debut until the final game of the season. His role has gradually increased since and he has averaged an impressive six yards per carry on 178 rushing attempts during four seasons in San Francisco.
Mostert has two years remaining on the three-year, $8.7m contract extension he signed with the 49ers prior to the 2019 season.
The 49ers already traded their second-leading rusher from 2019, Matt Breida, to the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a fifth-round pick during the 2019 NFL draft.
San Francisco also have Tevin Coleman, Jeff Wilson Jr, Jerick McKinnon and undrafted rookie free agents Salvon Ahmed and JaMychal Hasty on their running-back depth chart for 2020.
