Running back Frank Gore on Monday insisted he wants to play for
the 49ers until he retires. At the same time, he realizes this
might be his final season in the red and gold. Gore, 28, is in the
final year of a contract that will pay him $4.9 million. If he has
his way, he will receive a contract extension before the regular
season starts Sept. 11
Steve Corkran, Contra Costa Times
SANTA CLARA
Running back Frank Gore on Monday insisted he wants to play for the 49ers until he retires. At the same time, he realizes this might be his final season in the red and gold.
Gore, 28, is in the final year of a contract that will pay him $4.9 million. If he has his way, he will receive a contract extension before the regular season starts Sept. 11.
“I’d like to get it done before the season,” Gore said, “but right now things are not looking too good.”
Gore has averaged more than 1,000 yards in his six seasons with the 49ers since he arrived as a third-round selection out of Miami in the 2005 NFL draft.
He was well on his way to his fifth consecutive 1,000-yard season in 2010 until he suffered a broken right hip against the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 29. Gore finished with 853 yards.
The injury caused Gore to miss the final five games and, perhaps, to give the 49ers pause about committing to Gore beyond this season.
“I don’t know (if that’s the case),” Gore said. “I know I can play football. My whole six years, I got great film and everybody in the league knows that I can play football. If it doesn’t happen, I can play football, try to put the best film out there I can and test the market and see who wants me.”
Niners coach Jim Harbaugh said he is confident something can be worked out with his lead back.
“Like I’ve said all along, hopefully soon there’s a deal that is fair to Frank and the 49ers,” Harbaugh said Sunday. “I’m looking forward to that, and I know our organization is.”
Gore declined to comment when asked if he wants to be traded. He said his top option is remaining with the 49ers as long as he is wanted.
Left offensive tackle Joe Staley called Gore a vital part of the team, in the locker room and on the field.
“He’s one of the catalysts for our offense and our whole team,” Staley said. “He’s a great player and played at a high level for a long time. So, he’s someone that definitely leads this locker room and definitely leads this team.”
- Second-year safety Taylor Mays obviously didn’t do much to impress defensive coordinator Vic Fangio before he was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals on Monday afternoon.
Fangio mentioned fourth-year safety Reggie Smith and four others as the candidates to get starting jobs and playing time in the regular season.
“(Smith’s) definitely in the mix there for us at the safety position,” Fangio said. “We feel good with (Donte) Whitner, (Dashon) Goldson, (Madieu) Williams, and (C.J.) Spillman. We feel like we’ve got five safeties there that can play in the NFL.”
The 49ers offered Mays via trade earlier this season, but they didn’t find a taker until the Bengals stepped forward. Mays was a second-round pick in the 2010 NFL draft. The Bengals agreed to give the 49ers an undisclosed draft pick in return.
- The 49ers signed veteran punter Sam Paulescu on Monday, two days after regular punter Andy Lee suffered a hip injury against the Raiders.
Paulescu, 27, has appeared in 20 regular-season games with the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins. He boasts a 42.2-yard career average.
Lee was in full uniform at the portion of practice accessible to the media. It’s unknown whether he did any punting.
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The 49ers also activated wide receiver Dominique Zeigler from the physically-unable-to-perform list. Zeigler was recovering from a torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered last season. He caught nine passes for 98 yards in 11 games last year.
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Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli and kicker Fabrizio Scaccia were waived to make room on the roster for Paulescu and Ziegler. Scaccia spent time on the 49ers practice squad last season.
