The San Francisco 49ers brought some stability to the running back position by signing star running back Frank Gore to a three-year contract extension. The team, by contrast, has some questions concerning wide receivers Michael Crabtree and Braylon Edwards that will hopefully be addressed before the start of the 2011 NFL season.
These questions don't have to do with talent, thankfully; they stem from to other football-related topics. For instance, there are doubts about wide receiver Crabtree and his health right now. Crabtree, who was expected to miss the early part of the season after getting surgery on his broken left foot, got off of the PUP list on Tuesday and rejoined the team Wednesday. Crabtree spent most of practice doing individual work.
Questions are swirling right now about whether Crabtree will be ready for the 49ers' season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. But maybe that's looking too far: Crabtree may play this Thursday against the San Diego Chargers. Coach Jim Harbaugh hasn't ruled him out yet, and we won't know the answer to either of these two questions until the games actually take place.
Edwards, who the 49ers went out and acquired this offseason in the wake of Crabtree's injury, is dealing with some doubt of his own. Edwards has not heard from the NFL yet with regards to a DUI from last season. The league says that his case is still under review, and a suspension may be in the works. Edwards' status for the first few games of the season are as uncertain as the timing of Crabtree's return.
The 49ers may not know the answers to these questions just yet, but thankfully these are the types of issues that aren't pressing concerns for a team gearing up for the season. One thing that the 49ers do know: they have a duo of solid receivers to pair with tight end Vernon Davis and quarterback Alex Smith in 2011.