SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- As the San Francisco 49ers head toward the end of another long year, one of the many big decisions that awaits this offseason is what they will do with running back Carlos Hyde.

Hyde is set to be an unrestricted free agent and though there were signs early in the Kyle Shanahan/John Lynch era that Hyde could be on the way out, he's done nothing but impress Lynch and the Niners in the time since.

"He has answered some questions, but questions that we just had as a new regime coming in," Lynch said. "Not so much that we didn’t like what he [brought]. I’ve been pretty vocal that we did feel something change and I think you can see it manifest itself in a bunch of different ways. The way guys are playing, the way they’re acting, and Carlos, it was all of the above. I think he was kind of checking us out, too. And checking the system out, checking all that out.

"I think quickly he learned that this is a system that he could really thrive in. And he was pushed and he responded. He changed his body type. I think he’s a really good fit for our scheme. He’s a really good fit for any scheme. He’s had a really good year and he goes into the offseason, I really admire some of the things he does. He really pass blocks. It’s important for him to be a complete football player and I think he’s shown that with the way he’s worked and the way he’s played."

For Lynch to offer such effusive praise for Hyde isn't necessarily anything new. He offered similar plaudits at the outset of the preseason when Hyde arrived for training camp in the best shape of his career. Before that, though, there had been some wondering if Hyde was in the process of being replaced after the Niners drafted Joe Williams, traded for Kapri Bibbs and signed Tim Hightower and Matt Breida.

None of those running backs ever truly challenged Hyde for the starting job as he proved early that he was capable of making a successful transition into Shanahan's zone-running scheme.

Aside from a brief benching against Indianapolis after a couple of key mistakes, Hyde has remained the focal point of San Francisco's running game. His 934 yards from scrimmage ranks 11th and his 49 receptions rank fifth among all running backs. That production has come behind an offensive line that has struggled to consistently open holes and without the benefit of a strong passing game working as a complement.

Lynch said what he's seen from Hyde has been right in line with what former Niners running backs coach Tom Rathman told him to expect.

"Tom is just very honest and you can tell when Tom really appreciates a player," Lynch said. "That’s one thing I knew, with Tom there’s not a whole lot of BS, so you’re going to get an honest opinion and he’s a huge fan of Carlos. I think one of the interesting things with Kyle’s system is it does both the inside zone and the outside zone. I think we have learned where he succeeds. He can do both, but what’s the sweet spot for him? I think the thing I keep going back to is that’s what you like about him. He can do a little bit of everything. He’s a very natural catcher of the football. I know there’s been some drops, but when you watch him here, day in, day out, he does that extremely well."

Clearly, Lynch's appreciation for Hyde has only continued to grow. With so many other needs on the roster, it's fair to wonder if re-signing Hyde will be a priority in the offseason. But Hyde didn't sound like someone too concerned with the business of free agency when asked about it recently.

Instead, Hyde is aiming to help the Niners win any way they can over the final five weeks. Anything he can do to that end should undoubtedly serve to bolster the case that he should remain a 49er in 2018 and beyond.