Just like Jarryd Hayne, the San Francisco 49ers are entering a period of the unknown.
The 49ers are one of the NFL's glamour teams and have enjoyed five Super Bowl victories.
Four of those came back in the glory days of the 1980s when Joe Montana ruled the roost at quarterback, his heir apparent Steve Young helping the 49ers snare the other one in 1994.
The 49ers thought they had a new gun when they drafted Colin Kaepernick in 2011, a tattooed, 194cm tall elusive quarterback who took them to the Super Bowl, but not the win, in 2013 and the NFC Championship game in 2014.
They were so impressed by Kaepernick and his potential that they signed him to a $US126 million ($A161.10 million), six-year deal.
But the 2014-15 season was a disaster.
The 49ers finished with an 8-8 record, the notoriously gruff head coach Jim Harbaugh departed and fans wondered if Kaepernick was a bust.
In a twist of fate, the poor season is what landed Hayne in San Francisco.
The team hired Jim Tomsula, who spent nine years at NFL Europe teams transforming rugby and other athletes into NFL players, as the new head coach.
Hayne said when he visited the 49ers he sat and spoke with Tomsula for an hour and they hit it off.
Proving the 49ers liked what they saw in the former Parramatta Eel, they offered Hayne a $US100,000 ($A128,000) guarantee to sign with them.
That's extraordinary considering Hayne has never played American football.
Only elite players in the NFL have the power to have guaranteed money in their contracts.
Kaepernik's $US126 million contract only has $US13 million guaranteed.
Often when NFL players get cut their teams do not have to pay out the rest of their contracts, even if the player has multiple years and multi-millions of dollars left.
The other two teams in the running for Hayne, the Detroit Lions and Seattle Seahawks, didn't guarantee money.
Hayne said after 15 to 20 weeks working out with the 49ers they can cut him, but the money shows the team is going to give him the best chance to succeed.
The 49ers are also attractive because they are desperate for running backs, with five-time Pro Bowl selection Frank Gore set to become a free agent.
The 49ers may also look at Hayne for their special teams unit.
As a punt returner they can tap into his proven NRL skills of catching a high ball and cutting through defences, or his size and speed could be used as a coverage specialist.
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