Blogs

Recent 49ers Free Agency Additions

The 49ers roster features many homegrown players that have been drafted and developed by the respected front office staff led by general manager Trent Baalke. But San Francisco also features some top-notch free agents which have shaped it into a Super Bowl contender.

As the 2013 free agency period gets off to its frenzied start, 49ers.com takes a look back at some of the biggest impact free agents signed by the franchise in recent history. View a photo gallery of recent 49ers free agent additions and vote for your favorite at the bottom of this post.

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Morning Tailgate: Dec. 28

As the regular season winds down, the 49ers are starting to fill up 2012 award lists and the NFC Pro Bowl roster. Mike Sando of ESPN.com offered his all-NFC West team and listed 11 49ers among the best players in the division.

Among San Francisco’s players on Sando’s list included wideout Michael Crabtree, who is having a career year in his fourth NFL season. 49ers Public Relations director Bob Lange shared this cool photo spread of Crabtree explaining his ability to make sideline catches to ESPN the Magazine reporter Anna Katherine Clemons.

The rest of today’s Morning Tailgate looks at Justin Smith’s injury, Vernon Davis’ return to practice and more.

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Morning Tailgate: Dec. 27

Nine Niners made the 2013 Pro Bowl on Wednesday. However, it is now a goal for those members of the San Francisco 49ers to not play in the game.

Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Frank Gore, Justin Smith, Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Aldon Smith, Dashon Goldson and Donte Whitner all would rather play in the Super Bowl than the league’s annual All-Star game.

Nonetheless, it was still remarkable for the 49ers to send nine players to the Pro Bowl for a second consecutive season. Furthermore, San Francisco led the NFL with nine Pro Bowl selections.

“The 49ers sent two-fifths of their starting offensive line and six members of their defense to the Pro Bowl,” noted ESPN.com’s Mike Sando.

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Morning Tailgate: Dec. 26

The San Francisco 49ers were defeated 42-13 by the Seattle Seahawks and may have lost Mario Manningham for the rest of the season according to a report from ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Jim Harbaugh did not offer any specifics on Manningham’s knee injury suffered against the Seahawks when speaking to the media on Monday, but should shed light on the wide receiver’s long-term status when the 49ers coach meets with the media Wednesday afternoon.

If Manningham is out for the postseason run, Randy Moss will likely be inserted in the starting lineup opposite of Michael Crabtree. The veteran wideout has 26 receptions for 406 yards and three touchdown catches on the season. Furthermore, Moss has totaled 11 receptions in Colin Kaepernick’s six starts.  Read more »

Manningham Doubtful; Jenkins Ready

Jim Harbaugh didn’t even need words to affirm the news: A.J. Jenkins could finally step between the lines for some NFL regular season action on Sunday against Miami.

Harbaugh nodded his head on Friday when asked if the first-round pick wideout could see action to help fill the void likely to be left by Mario Manningham. The veteran receiver did not practice this week with a shoulder injury and was listed as doubtful on the final injury report.

“I’ve seen progress from A.J,” Harbaugh said. “He’s been on his assignments. He’s executed well when he’s been out there. So, he’s given great effort. Football rewards that effort.”

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Morning Tailgate: Oct. 26

The San Francisco 49ers might be approaching a bye week following this week’s Monday Night Football matchup with the Arizona Cardinals, but construction at the new Santa Clara Stadium site will remain constant throughout the 2012 football season.

The 49ers have 12 regular season home games left to be played at Candlestick Park before moving into their future home before the 2014 season. The latest development in the project is the prefabrication of 2,000 concrete sections for the stadium’s treads, risers, steps for seating and various stadium walls. This Tuesday, a 35,000-pound piece of precast concrete will be hoisted to the top of the suite tower and lowered into place. 49ers.com will have all the latest coverage early next week.

As for other stadium developments, Mike Rosenberg of the San Jose Mercury News offers a glimpse into the latest happenings across the street from 49ers headquarters.

While the project remains at a consistent pace, Rosenberg wrote that it can’t be completed any sooner than in time for the 2014 season.

“Even after crews finish the outside structure in December, it’ll take 18 months to put on the finishing touches and pass inspections: six months to test all the fire alarms, two months to run the escalators, 30 days to burn in the lights, two months to grow the playing field,” Rosenberg wrote.

Other note-worthy items from the story include details on the most death-defying act, which will be installing lights on catwalks an estimated 195-feet in the air along a commercial flight path.

Lastly, Rosenberg points out that some of the 500 workers on site where 49ers jerseys every Friday to show their pride in the project and the team.

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Morning Tailgate: Oct. 12

Alex Smith’s had a whirlwind seven-day stretch to say the least.

John Branch of the New York Times summed it up succinctly in a recent story.

“In this, the eighth chapter of The Many Lives of Alex Smith, the San Francisco quarterback leads the league in passer rating, coolly commands a high-scoring offense that sets a single-game yardage record, is deemed such a local celebrity that he tosses the ceremonial first pitch of a baseball playoff series and talks football with the president,” Branch wrote.

The week could get even better if the 49ers quarterback wins the FedEx Air Player of the Week award. And, if he beats the New York Giants this Sunday at Candlestick Park.

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Morning Tailgate: Aug. 17

Jim Harbaugh doesn’t subscribe to the “breaking camp” theory. Although there won’t be a practice today, the 49ers will conduct a “Mock Game” before departing to Houston for the team’s first preseason road trip.

To get you ready for San Francisco’s matchup with the Texans, check out our latest Niner Talk podcast which features interviews with quarterback Scott Tolzien and Drew Dougherty of Houston Texans TV.

Tolzien discussed Randy Moss’ positive influence on the locker room, as well as his mindset heading into an important preseason game. Tolzien said it’s all about maximizing opportunities. Dougherty also gave perspective on the opponent’s side of things and said the team’s fans are very friendly when it comes to tailgating. In you’re in Houston for the game, put on a smile and they’ll likely pass you some grub.

As for the current state of the 49ers, ESPN.com’s Mike Sando recently filed his Camp Confidential report on the recent developments in Santa Clara.

Sando asks if the strides shown by the 49ers passing game last season were only the start of something greater.

“That question ran through my mind while watching Smith fire passes on time and on target during a recent three-day stay at 49ers training camp. The answer became clearer every time Smith connected with newcomers Randy Moss and Mario Manningham, which was frequently. He appeared more accurate, more confident and more in command than I can ever recall seeing Smith during a training camp — or any other time, for that matter.”

More 49ers headlines can be found after the jump.

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Morning Tailgate: Aug. 14

The recent strides of the 49ers passing game has been quite noticeable at 49ers Training Camp presented by HP. But it’s also worth noting that San Francisco’s ground game has been consistent throughout.

The team’s 260 rushing yards against the Minnesota Vikings were the most on the ground of any team in Week 1 of the preseason.

NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah believes the 49ers can have one of the best rushing attacks in all of football after seeing seven different rushers average more than four yards per carry against the Vikings.

“The 49ers have added several high-profile weapons to their passing attack, but their running game was once again the headliner in a preseason win over the Minnesota Vikings,” Jeremiah wrote.

The running game’s success is due in large part to the camaraderie amongst a tight-knit offensive line. ESPN.com NFC West blogger Mike Sando recently noted the growing relationship between right tackle Anthony Davis and right guard Alex Boone.

More 49ers headlines can be found after the jump.

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Morning Tailgate: Aug. 13

Fresh off the team’s annual Fan Fest event, the 49ers return to Santa Clara for another day of Training Camp presented by HP.

Sunday, however, was certainly a competitive day for the 49ers and one that saw both sides improve. The highlight of the session was the first-team offense’s 92-yard scoring drive to close out the day.

Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com noted it was a 17-play drive that ended with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Alex Smith to tight end Konrad Reuland. On the drive, Maiocco noted Smith completed 10-of-11 passes for 79 yards. Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee noted that star players Justin Smith, Frank Gore and Mario Manningham all practiced after sitting out Friday night’s preseason opener.

More 49ers headlines can be found after the jump.

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