Gore, Crabtree Give 49ers Some Positive News

Like the stock market, 49ers fortunes the past few weeks have been a crazy cycle of ups and downs.

After some downward spikes the past week, the arrows are pointing up on a few fronts today.

Running back Frank Gore and the team have agreed to a contract extension, wide receiver Michael Crabtree has been activated and the Niners have been cleared by the NFL for any wrongdoing in “CrabtreeGate.”

Gore, who’s in the last year of a contract that is due to pay him $4.9 million in 2011, has agreed to a three-year extension for $13.5 million guaranteed that could be worth as much as $21 million, according to Pro Football Talk.

Gore, 28, had told reporters he wanted a “fair” deal, and apparently got an offer he liked after his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, met for several hours Monday  with team officials. On Tuesday, before the new deal was reported, Gore indicated the talks had gone well.

“Hopefully we can get something done before the season,” Gore told the San Francisco Chronicle. “I want to be a Niner.”

Gore and the team are expected to speak about the new deal today.

Gore, the team’s No. 1 running back since being drafted in 2005, is third on the franchise’s all-time rushing list and needs just 931 yards to pass No. 1 Joe Perry.

Crabtree Tuesday was activated from the physically unable to perform list and took part in his first official practice with the team. He has missed the entire preseason after suffering a broken left foot earlier this summer.

His work in practice Tuesday was limited, and he’s unlikely to play in Thursday night’s exhibition finale against the Chargers in San Diego. But, it’s hoped he’ll be available by the season opener Sept. 11 vs. the Seahawks.

Also Tuesday, the NFL cleared the team of any possible violations Monday when Crabtree – still on the physically unable to perform list – caught some pre-practice passes from several 49ers QBs and coach Jim Harbaugh. The team reported the incident to the league office, which looked into the matter and determined the 49ers would not be penalized for what the 49ers called “an oversight.”

Meanwhile, the news that Gore has a new deal and Crabtree is back has wide receiver Braylon Edwards optimistic.

“Once we get everyone out on the field, this offense will be explosive,” he told reporters.

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