Running back Frank Gore has been with the San Francisco 49ers since the team selected him in the third round of the 2005 NFL draft. In that time, Gore has rushed for more than 10,000 yards and 61 touchdowns, easily putting him the upper echelon of running backs over that time frame.
However, the 31-year-old is entering new terrain this offseason: free agency. Gore is set to become an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career and given his age, it's possible that Niners fans should start saying their goodbyes now. However, San Fran general manager Trent Baalke has expressed some optimism regarding a new deal.
"We sure hope not," Baalke said of a potential departure. "He understands what he means to this organization. He would certainly like to be back, and we would certainly like to have him back. Now, whether we can make that a reality or not, time will tell.
"You have to look at the situation. Frank is going to want to discuss his role, and what role is going to be moving forward. What is the contract itself going to look like? We can both want each other's company, but to make that happen, there are hurdles that are going to have to be crossed. He knows we are interested. We know he is interested. And we're going to see if we can come together at some point."
In terms of role, it seems time that the 49ers expanded former second-round pick Carlos Hyde's involvement in the offense. Hyde carried the ball 88 times for 333 yards (4.0 yards per carry) and four touchdowns this year. It would be difficult to keep him as second fiddle behind the aging Gore. But if Gore were willing to assume more of a back up role, it's possible he could return to San Francisco next year.
