49ers put franchise tag on LB Julian Peterson again

By Hugo Guzman  |   Thursday, February 24, 2005  |  Comments( 1 )

San Francisco 49ers
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SAN FRANCISCO, California - Linebacker Julian Peterson was designated the San Francisco 49ers' franchise player Tuesday for the second straight season. Peterson, a two-time Pro Bowl player and an All-Pro in 2003, will get a one-year contract offer worth about $7.29 million - a 20 percent raise over last year's salary. The move also gives the 49ers' new management more time to work on a long-term contract with Peterson, who missed all but five games last season with a torn left Achilles' tendon. "He's not only the type of player we want, but the type of person," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said. "This was something we definitely wanted to do."

Last year, Peterson held out through training camp and the preseason, turning down a six-year, $37.8 million offer after the 49ers placed the tag on him. Contract negotiations failed with Peterson's agents, Carl and Kevin Poston, who wanted Peterson to be the NFL's highest-paid defensive player.

Peterson signed his one-year franchise deal worth $6.074 million shortly before the regular season began, but was injured without contact during a game against Arizona. He's still recovering from the resulting surgery, but is expected to be healthy in time for training camp - if he doesn't hold out again.

Peterson's non-exclusive franchise tag means he can still negotiate with other teams, but if he gets an offer from another team, the 49ers can either match it or receive two first-round draft picks as compensation. Scot McCloughan, the 49ers' vice president of player personnel, was hired just last month, and the club hasn't entered extensive negotiations with the Postons yet.

Peterson could be a focal point of the 49ers' new 3-4 defense under Nolan and coordinator Billy Davis. Peterson's athleticism and smarts have made him one of the NFL's top outside linebackers, and the 3-4 relies on such talents. "He will mean a lot to what we do, whether it's 3-4 or 4-3," Nolan said. "I believe the 3-4 puts him in position more often. He probably has more to do with the success we'll have defensively than what scheme we actually play."

Peterson made 144 tackles and seven sacks in 2003, and the 49ers are cautiously optimistic he can return to that form despite barely playing last season. He has spent much of the offseason working on rehabilitation at the 49ers' training complex.

The 49ers also hired four more assistant coaches. Bishop Harris left the New York Jets to coach the 49ers' running backs; Pete Hoener will coach tight ends; Vance Joseph will be an assistant secondary coach; and Ben McAdoo, a former assistant to new Niners offensive coordinator Mike McCarthy in New Orleans, was hired to be the 49ers' assistant offensive line coach and offensive quality control coach.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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