Blogs

Morning Tailgate: Dec. 4

San Francisco 49ers first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins was active for the second time this season in Sunday’s 16-13 overtime loss to the St. Louis Rams. Jenkins, however, did not play. Second-round pick LaMichael James wasn’t active for the 12th time this year, but that could soon change.

The speedy running back could see action late in the season according to Jim Harbaugh in comments shared by Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee.

The 49ers coach visited with the KNBR Morning Show as he does every Tuesday and explained that the running back, who’s yet to be active in 2012, could see playing time in December.

“I think that’s a real possibility, and he’s worked hard for an opportunity,” Harbaugh said. “And that’s something that’s definitely a possibility that’s coming.”

Trent Baalke, the team’s general manager, also hinted at a possible December debut for James. Baalke visited with 95.7 The Game on Monday as part of his weekly show, his comments were discussed by CSN Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco.

If James is active and can contribute to a 49ers win over the Miami Dolphins this Sunday, the team could clinch a playoff spot with some help from NFC playoff contenders. There’s actually two scenarios in play for the 49ers to be guaranteed of postseason football for consecutive seasons.

Here are the scenarios:

1. San Francisco win + DAL loss + MIN loss + TB loss + WAS loss + SEA loss or tie.

2. San Francisco win + DAL loss + MIN loss + TB loss + WAS loss + STL loss or tie.

The Vikings host the Bears. The Buccaneers host the Eagles. The Redskins host the Ravens. The Seahawks host the Cardinals. The Rams visit the Bills. The Cowboys visit the Bengals.

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Jed York Named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40

With success both on and off the field rampant for the San Francisco 49ers, CEO Jed York has received recognition for his recent contributions to the five-time Super Bowl champion organization.

With a winning record in 2012 and a new Santa Clara Stadium project well underway, the 49ers CEO has been selected for his second prestigious business award in as many years.

After being named to the Forty Under 40 list by The Sports Business Journal in March of 2012, York has now been selected to Fortune’s annual list of the 40 hottest young business stars under 40.

The 49ers CEO ranks No. 39 on the list.

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Morning Tailgate: May 1

We begin the month of May with a review of yesterday’s start to the San Francisco 49ers’ third week of the offseason program, officially dubbed, “Football School.”

With the majority of the team’s roster in town for the start of fundamental, non-contact work with coaches allowed on the field, much of the attention focused on new wide receiver Randy Moss joining his 49ers teammates on Monday.

Moss spoke positively about his experience and so did his teammates, who raved about the veteran wideout’s speed and route-running following the workout.

More 49ers headlines, including a transcript of general manager Trent Baalke’s appearance on Sirius XM radio, can be found after the jump.

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Morning Tailgate: April 30

Now that the 2012 NFL Draft is in the books, several prominent football writers have praised the performance of San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke.

The 49ers GM identified a player, Wake Forest guard Joe Looney, as a prospect worth drafting in the third-round. However, Baalke moved back three times, picking up a sixth-round pick (Michigan State safety Trenton Robinson), and three selections in next year’s draft (Carolina’s third-round pick, Indianapolis’ fifth-round pick and Miami’s sixth-round pick).

When it was all said and done, the 49ers ended up selecting Looney in the fourth-round and had four additional picks to show for it.

The draft day experience for many of the 49ers rookies was unique to say the least. First-round selection A.J. Jenkins’ arrival in the Bay Area was documented exclusively by TV49.

Robinson’s experience was also captured over the weekend by a Michigan television station.

More on Robinson’s draft weekend and other 49ers headlines after the jump.

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49ers Brass Weighs in on Draft

Jed York didn’t have much of a poker face when the 49ers made their second-round selection on Friday night. Holed up in the team war room, the 49ers CEO pumped his fist in delight as LaMichael James became the newest member of the storied franchise.

With James, the 49ers now have a backfield brimming with talent, as he joins Frank Gore, Brandon Jacobs, Kendall Hunter, Anthony Dixon and Rock Cartwright.

“It’s a full house,” 49ers general manager Trent Baalke said. “It’s a good hand, right? In poker, a full house is a good hand.”

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Morning Tailgate: April 27

A.J. Jenkins is the newest member of the San Francisco 49ers, and the young wide receiver couldn’t have been happier judging from the series of Tweets he posted from his @Ajjenkins8 account following the selection.

The University of Illinois wide receiver was equally excited in his conference call with local reporters.

The 49ers saw a lot in Jenkins, mostly position versatility, speed, production and competitiveness, all traits that’ll help his production as a wide receiver in Greg Roman’s offense.

Trent Baalke explained the decision to select Jenkins in greater detail after the pick. Baalke added a player he felt very good about, despite receiving calls late in the first round from the Minnesota Vikings who were looking to acquire Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. The 49ers resisted the urge to move back into the second round and stood firm by selecting Jenkins at pick No. 30.

Turns out, the decision to not move back into round two paid off for the 49ers general manager.

More on Jenkins’ other NFL suitors and additional NFL Draft headlines can be found after the jump.

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Mayock Breaks Down 2012 Draft

On Wednesday, general manager Trent Baalke told reporters the 49ers have a certain someone circled on their 2012 draft board. If this player is still available when the 49ers make the No. 30 pick in the first round on April 26, he will be wearing red and gold threads this fall.

Playing his cards close to the vest, Baalke naturally didn’t reveal the name of the targeted prospect. As pundits and writers offer their best guesses as to who the mystery man will be at No. 30, NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock was the latest to take a stab in Thursday’s nationwide conference call.

But not before giving out a hearty chuckle.

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Photo Blog: Saturday at 49ers Winter Fest

Off to a tremendous start after bringing in over $250,000 on the first night, there were more activities in store for Saturday at the 49ers Winter Fest.

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Baalke Discusses 2012 Offseason

Entrenched in his second offseason as the 49ers general manager, Trent Baalke is keeping an open mind when it comes to improving the team. Last year, Baalke proved to be a pivotal figure in turning the franchise around, as he and first-year coach Jim Harbaugh helped lead the 49ers to a 14 wins and the doorstep of the Super Bowl.

Speaking with KNBR on Tuesday afternoon, the NFL’s reigning Executive of the Year said he had instant chemistry with Harbaugh and that he felt good about the progress made in his first year on the job. Baalke and his staff signed key free agents like kicker David Akers, center Jonathan Goodwin and safety Donte Whitner in 2011, just to name a few, while putting together a deep, quality draft class.

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Morning Tailgate: Feb. 24

INDIANAPOLIS – The coffee is flowing and the media is entering the workroom at Lucas Oil Stadium. Pretty soon, the coffee will be running low and the line of reporters waiting for lunch sandwiches will be as long as the 40-yard dash itself.

How’s that for an intro. That’s the scene as of 8:45 this morning. In a matter of 30 minutes or so, the nation’s best quarterbacks, running backs and receivers will start filling in for their meet and greets with the national media.

If you missed any of our Thursday coverage at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine, don’t fret. You can read all the latest info and check out our videos at 49ers.com/combine.

More 49ers and combine headlines can be found after the jump.

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