Bad news was received by all members of the anemic NFC West today. That is, of course, unless you are a San Francisco Forty-Niner! The 'Niners have inked a three year, 21 Million Dollar contract extension with running back and all around nightmare Frank Gore. Gore's new extension includes $13.5 million in guaranteed money and effectively makes Gore a Firty-Niner for good.
Though the outlook on the 'Niner's season in 2011 is fairly bleak even after the contract extension for the running back some have dubbed the "inconvenient truth," the future would be much harder to build over the next several seasons while trying to piece together a running game without him.
So, why does a 28 year-old running back get such a lucrative extension in a market that rarely pays runners of that age? I'm glad you asked!
Frank Gore was drafted out of the University of Miami in 2005 by his present team. Since that day, the third round pick has scared the crap out of every player unfortunate enough to have to tackle him in the open field. At 5' 9" and 217 pounds, it wasn't thought he would be one of the leagues prolific bruisers. Seven years, two Pro Bowls, and a career 4.7 yards-per-carry average later, he is the most feared back west of Steven Jackson!
Detractors would say that, on Frank's watch, the 'Niners, they have never made the post season or even had a winning season. However, I don't think there is another team in the NFL that needed to land their man as badly as San Francisco did this year. In a division that already boasts Beanie Wells, Marshawn Lynch, Leon Washington, and Steven Jackson, it was imperative to retain Gore's punishing style. To fail in that endeavor would leave the 'Niners scavenging for the likes of Clinton Portis, Mike Bell, or Ladell Betts.
Kudos to the Forty-Niners for striking gold... again. shhhh... Hear that? That's the collective dread of every linebacker in the NFC West.
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