49ers Weave Escape Plan Into Frank Gore's New Contract

San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore basically got what he wanted out of his new contract, an extension until 2014. But the Niners got what they wanted as well, a limited amount of guaranteed money and a contract designed to be practically without risk for them. 

Gore's $21 million contract is only worth about $13.5 million over the next four years, laden with injury guarantees, not skill guarantees. The 29 year old back will have to stay healthy and very productive to get all his money, something the Niners are almost betting against with this contract. 

per CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco:

Included in the $13.5 million guaranteed is the $4.9 million pay for the upcoming season that Gore was already scheduled to receive. His entire $2 million base salary for 2012 is also guaranteed. Gore's base salaries of $3.3 million in both 2013 and 2014 are guaranteed against injury only -- not skill. If Gore's talents dropped off and the 49ers decided to part ways with him after 2012, the 49ers would not incur any salary-cap hit in 2013.And if Gore sustained a catastrophic injury prior before the 2013 season, the 49ers would have to pay only one of the final two years of the "guaranteed money.

The rest of Gore's money comes from roster and production bonuses, earning $100,000 for each game he is on the active roster, while having to accrue 1,600 combined receiving and rushing yards a season for the maximum possible return, a lofty number for any soon to be 30 year old back. 

Gore's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, seemed to back off his usual tough negotiations to make a cushy deal in the 49ers favor. If San Francisco wants out of this contract, they could release Gore based on diminishing production during any of the next four seasons and owe him no more guaranteed money, putting all the pressure on Frank to perform at the highest level and stay healthy. 

This contract, if anything, will light a fire under Gore's behind because he knows if he doesn't perform he won't be a 49er any more. That being said, it sure doesn't show much respect for the likely all-time rusher of your franchise.

For more on the Niners, head over to Niners Nation. 

Frank Gore's Contract Extension Smart for Short, Long Term

With a new head coach comes a slew of changes to a football team. New assistants, new playbooks, new locker room arrangements; it's like hitting the proverbial reset button on a bunch of routine-driven athletes. It's important to try and keep some things the same among all the unfamiliarity, especially with the pillars of your franchise; such as the San Francisco 49ers and they pro-bowl running back Frank Gore. The contract extension giving to Frank wasn't only a good idea for this year's team, but for many years to come, even after Frank is long retired. 

Gore's three-year $21 million dollar deal gives the team some stability behind center as the quaterback position will likely be a question mark for most of the season as the Alex Smith experiment enters it's 24th year. Frank missed the last five games of the season in 2010 but still rushed for 853 yards, although that was under the Mike Singletary "all we do is run" game plan. Gore currently sits only 931 yards shy of Joe 'the Jet' Perry for the all time rushing leader in 49ers history. He could easily overtake that record this year, but he's still got three years to do it. 

You can look at his numbers, or you can just watch him play, Frank is probably one of the best RB's this franchise has ever had. He's a fan favorite and a team leader, and it would have looked terrible if the Niners let him walk. He easily could go down as one of the best to ever put on the Red and Gold, become a 49ers legend. Here's what CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco had to say about it. 

What makes Gore special is his single-minded drive to be the best all-around running back in the game. He is closing in on the 49ers' all-time rushing record. He has also led the 49ers in receptions during his career...Gore is also willing to do the thankless aspects of his job, most notably his role in picking up blitzes as a pass-protector.   

He epitomizes what the team wants from the other 52 players in the locker room.

Any way you slice it, the Niners need Frank Gore. Thankfully they'll have him for the next few years. 

For more on the San Francisco 49ers, head over to Niners Nation. 

Frank Gore To Sign 3-Year Extension Worth $21 Million

San Francisco 49ers fans, rejoice! According to Pro Football Talk, running back Frank Gore will sign a three-year contract extension worth $21 million. Gore will receive $13.5 million in guaranteed money, according to the report.

The deal will begin in 2012. Gore is slated to make $4.9 million this year, and will start receiving his $21 million over the following three seasons.

This is good news for the 49ers, who have had a tense relationship with Gore throughout the preseason. Now that the deal appears to be done, the team can move on from this distraction and focus on getting into good football shape prior to the team's Sept. 11^th season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.

Gore has struggled with injuries over the past few seasons, most recently sidelining him for five games in the 2010 season. Despite this, he has been the key to the 49ers offense for the past few years and should carry the team again in 2011.

Gore has spent his first six seasons in the NFL with the 49ers. It looks like he's set to turn that number into 10 years by the end of this deal.

Frank Gore Talks Contract After Preseason Loss to Texans

Disgruntled San Francisco 49ers running back Frank Gore spoke to the media after Saturday night's 30-7 preseason loss at the hands of the Houston Texans, talking about his contract status and his mindset going into the season right now. Gore did not play a single snap of the game per head coach Jim Harbaugh's decision, definitely not a good sign during the third week of the preseason, a time known to see lots of starters getting action on the field. 

Frank just to clarify, if you don't get an extension before the season starts, you are not going to request a trade?   

"It's up to the team. I don't [have anything] to do with a trade. I don't [have anything] to do with my agent and the team. If the team wants to do that, hopefully they don't. I want to be here. I want to be a 49er and I want to be treated right. Like I said, if it gets done, it gets done. If not, I'm going to be here for my teammates and my coaching staff and try to make this run."

Glad to see Rosenhaus has Frank saying all the PC things he needs to at this point. I hope he does want to be a 49er, because they will have a very, very one-dimensional offense of getting sacked and throwing interceptions. 

Will you be involved in those talks at all?

"Nah I don't want get that. I'm a football player, if I was an agent I would, I'd do it. You know that's my agent's job and hopefully man, hopefully hopefully I hope it get's done and I hope I can get something fair."

The fact that Frank keeps coming back to the idea of fairness or being 'treated right' says to me he feels he isn't getting that, and possibly won't if he sticks around. 

Your preseason is over correct?

"I got to see what coach say. It's up to coach Harbaugh whatever he say I'm going to do. I like him a lot and I respect him a lot." 

Are you ready for the regular season?

"I'm ready. I trained my behind this offseason. I practice hard every day, as yall see. When my number gets called, 21 is going to be ready."

I just hope he's wearing number 21 for the Red and Gold.

For more discussion and in-depth analysis of everything San Francisco 49ers, head on over to Niners Nation, the most complete coverage of Niners football found anywhere on the interweb. 

Frank Gore's Frustration Mounting During Contract Talks

According to both Adam Schefter and Matt Maoicco, Drew Rosenhaus, Frank Gore's agent, is set to meet with the 49ers' chief negotiator Paraag Marathe Monday to discuss the terms of a desired contract extension. Gore, 28, has been hoping these past few weeks to get the deal done so he can focus on football, but no agreement is yet in sight. This isn't sitting well with the 49ers' third all-time leading rusher.

Per Maoicco:

Frank Gore's frustration has grown to the point that those around him say they've never seen the 49ers' running back as frustrated as he's been over the past couple weeks. One team source said Gore has uncharacteristically "snapped" at some of the team's assistant coaches as his concern has grown over not receiving a contract extension.

Gore has stated numerous times that he'd like to retire as a 49er and San Francisco has no reason not to keep him around for the right price, but the reported deal Gore is seeking is what has led them to balk. 28-year-old running backs with injury histories aren't the safest investments, historically. It's a position in which players take a beating, the average career lifespan is very short and at the age of 30 (or even 28, 29), you typically see a precipitous drop in production and effectiveness. It's something that the 49ers surely have in mind. 

As a Seahawks fan I have developed an aversion to the idea of giving aging running backs a big contract in honor of past accomplishments -- in '06, after his MVP season, the Seahawks gave Shaun Alexander an eight-year, $62 million contract ($15.1 million of which was guaranteed and $15 million to be paid in the first year of the contract... yikes) at the age of 28. He was out of the league two years later. Buyer beware.

For more 49ers coverage and discussion, head on over the Niners Nation.    

Frank Gore And Agent Drew Rosenhaus To Meet With 49ers On Tuesday

Tick-tock, tick-tock. We’re just a shade over two weeks from the start of the 2011 NFL season and Frank Gore has yet to report to San Francisco 49ers training camp. Unhappy with his current contract situation, Gore has been vocal about getting a new long-term deal that would pay him in line with some of the league's better paid backs. According to Adam Schefter, Gore and his agent Drew Rosenhaus will meet with the 49ers front office on Tuesday to try to make progress on the stalled negotiations.

Whether Rosenhaus will be able to work his magic for Gore remains to be seen. Gore is coming off a poor year statistically, and more importantly, a broken hip that forced him to miss the final five games of the season. At 28 years of age, it’s understandable why Gore would try to secure a big payday while he can, but despite being a warrior for the 49ers offense since joining the team in 2005, the 49ers have ample reason to be cautious about offering Gore the type of money he’s reportedly demanding considering he has missed at least two games due to injury in each of the previous three seasons.

For more 49ers coverage and discussion, head on over the Niners Nation.

49ers G.M. Claims He Wants Frank Gore To Be “A 49er For Life”

The ongoing contract saga between running back Frank Gore and the San Francisco 49ers continues. According to NBC's ProFootballTalk, 49ers G.M. Trent Baalke had this to say about the situation when asked about it on SIRIUSXM NFL Radio: "The best thing we can do is make Frank a 49er for life and whether that gets accomplished in the near future or not remains to be seen."

Baalke is absolutely right. The best thing that the team can do is make Gore a 49er for life. Gore has been the center of the team's offense for the past several seasons and the 49ers need him ASAP.

Unfortunately, the 49ers are going to have to pay up. Gore has watched DeAngelo Williams get a hefty five-year, $43 million deal from the Carolina Panthers this offseason. He's watching Chris Johnson slowly work his way toward a new contract in Tennessee right now, and he wants in.

The 49ers can talk all they want about keeping Gore around, but they desperately need to start moving negotiations forward if they actually want him to stick around. There have been whispers about Gore demanding a trade in recent days, which would be very bad news for San Francisco and its pursuit to keep Gore. Regardless of whether or not these rumors are true, the 49ers need Gore back in their line-up as soon as possible. Baalke's talked the talk. Let's see if he can deliver and get his star back on the field soon. 

Jim Harbaugh Dismisses Frank Gore Whispers, Says QB Situation Still Fluid

San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh was on conference call this afternoon with Bay Area media. Naturally, one of the first topics that came up was the status of contract negotiations with free agent tailback Frank Gore, which have reportedly been tensing up. Eric Branch of Niner Insider for the San Francisco Chornicle has more.

Q: There have been a couple of national reports that Frank Gore is unhappy with his contract extension/negotiations. One suggested he might even go for a trade. Has he approached you? Do you sense that unhappiness in him?

JH: No, I don't sense unhappiness in Frank.

Q: Has there been any contract talk with him recently?

JH: Even the things that you just alluded to -- reports, conversations, talking points, things you're asking me right now. It all is and sounds like water-cooler talk to me right now and I'm just not interested in it, in the water-cooler talk.

When it comes to quarterbacks? Things are still as murky as ever.

How he approaches naming his starting QB for Week 1: "Week by week."

So Alex Smith has gone from being the big favorite to entering holding patterns with Colin Kaepernick and Josh McNown. Things can only look up from here.

Niners Nation is your go-to destination for 49ers coverage.

49ers, Frank Gore Contract Discussions Moving Slowly

The San Francisco 49ers and All-Pro running back Frank Gore are in the process of working towards making a new deal, but may be moving much slower than either Gore or the team would like ti admit.

According to a tweet from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter Frank Gore is not too happy with the progress he and the Niners may or may not have been making thus far in the negotiation process:

The 28 year old Gore is coming off of one of the worst statistical years of his career as well as a broken hip that took him out of the last few games in 2010, but is still asking for more money. Gore and the Niners will probably squabble with one another for a while about this, with Gore’s level of production in question with all of the factors against him; he’s got a struggling O-Line, he’s already 28 years old, not much for backups to help him out, and he just broke a hip.

Gore will still be a great back in this league, but his contract should be fitting for a 28 year old injury prone back, not a in-his-prime workhorse.

Frank Gore Holdout Ends, Extension Discussed, No Casualties Reported

The Frank Gore standoff with the San Francisco 49ers came to a close today, and I can safely confirm that no one was hurt. Well, badly at least; there might have been a few cases of astigmatism developing over the intense stares both sides were directing at each other during negotiations. I'm sure there are feelings that need to be mended and everyone will have to bond over milkshakes, but it looks like the worst is over.

Gore will report back to camp on Monday, Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area tweets. He will return under his current contract, but head coach Jim Harbaugh did point out that a contract extension is possible now and will be discussed soon. Barring injury, Gore will now return and rush for a thousand yards and catch for another 400, and all will be well in Niner land once again.

To discuss Gore with other 49ers fans, check out Niners Nation.

Frank Gore Holdout: Gore Absent From First Day Of Training Camp

The San Francisco 49ers reported to training camp Thursday morning and as expected, running back Frank Gore was not present. The first day entails going through physicals, speaking with the media and meeting with position coaches. Although it might not be an essential part of camp, it is a mandatory reporting day, which means the Frank Gore holdout is now official.

For this first day, Gore receives no punishment, but starting tomorrow the team will fine him $30,000 per day until he returns to the team. Although he is scheduled to make $4.9 million between his salary and a roster bonus, an extended holdout could lead to a sizable overall fine.

At the same time, if the two sides are able to work out some kind of deal, it would likely include either some sort of forgiveness on the fines or it is somehow factored into any new contract. The question is whether Trent Baalke and Jim Harbaugh will give in or if they want to set an example from day one.

Frank Gore Holding Out Won't Be A Huge Deal For 49ers

To start, one thing needs to be made clear: Frank Gore is a great player and would contribute to any team in the National Football League. Undermining what a holdout on his part means to the team does not invalidate that in any way, it simply is how it is. Gore's ability as a running back will never come into question, the only knock against him lies in his durability, or lack thereof.

The most important thing to note about this holdout, which came at about the same time David Baas signed with the New York Giants, is that Gore isn't looking to "get paid." Well, that's not entirely inaccurate, he's looking for money, but spread over more time. He's entering the final year of his contract with the 49ers, and that scares him. Players at that point in their careers need stability and reassurance, and it's something that they often get.

But San Francisco doesn't have to break the bank for him, and when fans see the word "holdout" they need to be sure that they take a step back and realize that the guy (probably) isn't demanding millions and millions more at this point in time. Gore can assume whatever he wants about his value, but the market for a halfback with his injury concerns is small, and he's not going to get the money elsewhere.

Gore will be the main staple of Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman's west coast offense, that much is clear. It's going to be a power running attack with a vertical game centered on the tight ends. Gore will make that offense run and run well, and the organization knows that.

In short, there's nothing to worry about with this. It's something that will get fixed sooner or later, unless Gore has somehow changed overnight and become insanely unrealistic, in which case we'll panic too.

Frank Gore Reportedly Will Hold Out From 49ers Training Camp

The Jim Harbaugh era is getting off to a bumpy start as Adam Schefter and Michael Lombardi are reporting that 49ers running back Frank Gore is planning to hold out from training camp. Gore is entering the final year of a contract that was actually quite friendly for the 49ers considering Gore was coming off a record-setting 2006 season. The contract was valued at $28.012 million over five years. This final season includes a $2.9 million base salary and a $2 million roster bonus.

Gore has been a steal for the 49ers since they drafted him out of the University of Miami in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft. In six seasons Gore has pushed his way towards the top of the 49ers rushing record book with 6,414 yards and 35 touchdowns. He has been integral in the passing game with 270 receptions and 2,283 receiving yards.

The big issue is that Gore is coming off a hip fracture in 2010 that cost him the final five games of the season. All indications are that he is fully recovered, but at 28 years old, one has to wonder how much the 49ers would be willing to commit to him and how much he is asking for in return.

We'll be back with plenty more details as the 49ers training camp opens on Thursday, at which point we'll know a bit more about this holdout. For more on the 49ers, head over to Niners Nation.