49ers Sign Running Back Brian Westbrook

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee is reporting that the team agreed to terms with Brian Westbrook on a one-year contract. Financial terms were not immediately available. The signing comes when the team's primary backup, Glen Coffee, retired suddenly after only one season in the NFL last Friday.

On Sunday, rookie sixth round pick Anthony Dixon had a strong game, going 100 yards on twenty-one carries and getting another twenty-two yards in three receptions as a backup to Michael Robinson, with starter Frank Gore sitting out the game. It was an impressive performance, but coach Singletary was hesitant to offer up too much praise, saying that he still had a lot of work to do, which he surely does.

Westbrook will be the primary backup and will probably get looks on offense due to his versatility in the passing game as Alex Smith needs all of the reliable targets he can get to succeed in 2010. One has to wonder if Westbrook signing with the 49ers after being reportedly close to a deal with the Rams and Redskins has something to do with the Niners having a better shot of winning and getting to the playoffs. Probably so.

It's a low risk/high reward pickup, probably for a lower-end dollar amount. The team will have a press conference at 5 p.m. Monday.