Gruden: Raiders will spend in free agency

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Jon Gruden says free agency will be a vehicle for the team to get better this offseason. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/gruden-raiders-to-be-active-in-free-agency/2244197/

Shanahan would love Sanders back

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Kyle Shanahan wants Emmanuel Sanders back at WR ... but acknowledges there are other considerations. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/49ers-shanahan-says-hed-love-to-re-sign-sanders/2244153/

Top WR would love to go to Raiders

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Oklahoma star wide receiver CeeDee Lamb says he'd be honored to be drafted by the team. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/oklahoma-star-wr-would-love-to-be-drafted-by-raiders/2243254/

McKinnon eager (again) to play for 49ers

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: The 49ers and RB Jerick McKinnon may come to a deal for 2020. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/49ers-door-may-be-open-for-rb-mckinnon/2243217/

Mayock signals support for Carr

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Raiders GM Mike Mayock says he and the team believe in Derek Carr at QB and aren't looking to make a move at the position ... but will always improve the team if an opportunity arises. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/raiders-mayock-has-confidence-in-carr/2242482/

Can Pettis re-set a stalled NFL career?

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Wide receiver Dante Pettis played his way onto the bench in 2019. Now can the 2018 second-round pick rebound in 2020?https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/will-49ers-pettis-answer-the-wake-up-call/2242470/

Sherman was (and wasn't) super in 2019

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Cornerback Richard Sherman had a disappointing Super Bowl performance, yet he showed the NFL again that in 2019 he was one of the league's best, and likely is poised for another strong season. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/despite-super-bowl-performance-sherman-was-solid/2241477/

Will Raiders re-sign Burfict?

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: The NFL has reinstated LB Vontaze Burfict after a long suspension for an illegal hit, but it's no lock he will re-sign with Raiders. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/burfict-reinstated-by-the-nfl/2241488/

Solomon Thomas hasn't yet produced

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Solomon Thomas was the third overall pick of the NFL draft, yet he hasn't become a consistent playmaker. Will the 49ers pick up his fifth-year option? https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/49ers-must-make-a-decision-on-thomas-future/2240033/

Will Raiders cut Whitehead?

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Veteran linebacker Tahir Whitehead is a workhorse, but he's due more than $6 million in 2020 and his role decreased in 2019, so the Raiders may decide to release him in a money-saving move. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/whitehead-in-danger-of-being-released/2238650/

Hurd could blossom in Year 2

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Wide receiver Jalen Hurd, who missed all of 2019 with an injury, says he's injury free and ready to participate fully in the 49ers' offseason program. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/hurd-could-make-big-impact-in-second-season/2238635/

Sanders proved invaluable for 49ers

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Veteran wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders could enter free agency, but will 49ers re-sign him? He was an important addition in October for a team that made the Super Bowl. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/49ers-veteran-wr-emmanuel-sanders-isnt-slowing-down/2237728/

Raiders' Crosby has big goals for 2020

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Defensive end Max Crosby had 10 sacks as a rookie, but wants to go much, much higher in 2020. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/raiders-crosby-believes-he-can-be-much-better/2236909/

Niners hope to extend Kittle deal

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: San Francisco hopes to get a deal done soon to extend tight end George Kittle. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/niners-eager-to-sign-kittle-to-extension/2236871/

Marquise Goodwin hopes for a rebound

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Three years ago, wideout Marquise Goodwin had a breakout season. But injuries took him off the field the past two seasons. Does he have a future with the 49ers?https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/goodwins-future-with-49ers-isnt-certain/2236117/

49ers 2020 draft will be much different

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: The 49ers for a change won't have the luxury of high draft picks this time around. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/niners-draft-will-look-much-different-this-year/2235600/

Raiders QB job seems to be up for grabs

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Play Quarterback Roulette: Which player will start for the Raiders in 2020? Derek Carr? Tom Brady? Marcus Mariota?https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/who-will-quarterback-the-raiders-in-2020/2235607/

Daniel who? 49ers' signing of Brunskill paid off

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: It made no headlines this past offseason when the 49ers signed Daniel Brunskill, an offensive lineman who had bounced around pro football. But his one-year signing made a huge, positive impact on the 49ers. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/brunskill-was-one-of-49ers-unexpected-heroes/2234213/

Antonio Brown says he's talked to Gruden

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Antonio Brown burned his bridges with the Raiders in 2019, but now indicates he's talked to Jon Gruden about coming back. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/raiders/antonio-brown-says-hes-talked-to-jon-gruden/2233557/

Will the 49ers re-sign safety Jimmie Ward?

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: A healthy Jimmie Ward in 2019 showed the 49ers just how valuable he is. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/a-healthy-ward-showed-49ers-how-valuable-he-is-to-defense/2233437/

San Diegan Bonnie Hatcher is crazy about running ... especially running very long distances

Bonnie Hatcher has been a runner all her life. But she didn't try ultramarathons until a few years ago. Once she did, she was hooked. Now ultras are a big part of her fit, active and healthy lifestyle. My story on Hatcher for the Active San Diego series for the Health section of the San Diego Union-Tribune. https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/story/2020-02-10/shes-in-it-for-the-long-run

A.J. Green would be great fit with 49ers

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: One analyst sees wideout A.J. Green landing in San Francisco as a free agent. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/a-j-green-would-be-a-great-fit-with-49ers/2232652/

Niners' Kittle is NFL's best player

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: San Francisco tight end George Kittle is graded as the NFL's best player in 2019 by the analytic website Pro Football Focus. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/49ers/niners-kittle-earns-analytic-honor/2231850/

DeAndre Washington will test free agency

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Running back DeAndre Washington is expected to test his value in free agency. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/raiders-may-let-washington-go-in-free-agency/2231878/

Alexander gives 49ers an assist

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Linebacker Kwon Alexander restructures his contract to give 49ers more salary-cap space. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/alexander-gives-49ers-an-assist-for-the-offseason/2231087/

Shanahan backs Garoppolo all the way

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan says he believes in Jimmy Garoppolo without a single doubt. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/49ers-shanahan-fully-believes-in-jimmy-garoppolo/2229451/

49ers' Buckner laments missed opportunity

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: DeForest Buckner believes if he'd just made this one play, San Francisco would have won the Super Bowl. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/49ers-buckner-laments-missed-opportunity/2228418/

Raiders extend Richard contract

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Running back Jalen Richard signs for two more years with Raiders. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/raiders/raiders-keep-richard-in-the-backfield/2228444/

Critics firing at Garoppolo

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: It's now open season on the 49ers QB after Super Bowl loss. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/critics-taking-their-shots-at-49ers-qb-garoppolo/2227638/

Even with setbacks, Jacobs was impressive

Daily Raiders blog for NBC Bay Area website: Running back Josh Jacobs didn't win AP Offensive  Rookie of the Year, but it's obvious he's a player ready for big things in the NFL. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/a-learning-season-for-raiders-josh-jacobs/2226841/

Bosa was super in a losing cause

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: Rookie defensive end Nick Bosa keeps impressing, and his Super Bowl performance shows he's going to only get better in 2020. https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/even-in-loss-49ers-nick-bosa-was-dominant/2226832/

In SB loss, did 49ers err at end of first half?

Daily 49ers blog for NBC Bay Area website: If the 49ers had been more aggressive at the end of the first half, might they have pulled out a Super Bowl win over the Chiefs? https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/sports/super-bowl-did-49ers-shanahan-err-at-end-of-1st-half/2226031/