The Hayne Plane hit major NFL turbulence.
In a surprise move, the San Francisco 49ers announced Saturday they waived Jarryd Hayne and promoted running back Kendall Gaskins to the active roster from the practice squad.
Hayne, a former National Rugby League star, was a preseason darling and forced his way onto the 49ers' 53-man roster with some dazzling open-field runs on special teams.
The 27-year-old struggled in tight spaces as a running back and earned just eight carries for 25 yards over six games. He was inactive in Week 7. The Aussie didn't appear fully comfortable in limited duty fielding punts and also struggled with hanging onto the ball, fumbling three times, losing one.
Hayne has the athletic ability to be an NFL player, but the transition to full-time duty proved to be a steep learning curve. Now on waivers, he can be snatched up by any of the 31 other teams. If he clears waivers he could be added to a practice squad, which would give him a chance to learn the nuances of the game away from the spotlight.
With running back Carlos Hyde out for Sunday's contest versus the St. Louis Rams, the 49ers will lean on Reggie Bush and rookie Mike Davis in the backfield. They'll likely useBruce Ellington and Bush in the return game, as they did Week 7 against the Seahawks when Hayne was inactive.
