San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree and running back Frank Gore is unsure of their future with the team, but both key players expressed interest in staying with the Niners.
Crabtree, who has 64 catches for 657 yards this season, will have the chance to test the free agency market in the offseason. When asked if he will consider returning to the 49ers, Crabtree did not give a direct answer.
"It depends," said Crabtree, who is averaging a career-low 10.3 yards per catch. "I don't even want to talk about it. It's just one those things - I don't even want to talk about it. I'm not going to talk about a contract or anything like that."
Previous reports indicated that the 49ers and Crabtree were close to signing a new deal, but no agreement was reached. It is still unclear at this point whether or not the 49ers are still going to prioritize keeping the 27-year-old beyond this season.
Crabtree also denied reports suggesting that he is one of the players who are allegedly pushing for Jim Harbaugh's firing, expressing admiration for his coach, who will likely be axed after the season.
"He's one of my favorite coaches I've ever played for," Crabtree said. "He's a player's coach. He's just a good dude. Everyone has their own opinion, but he's been a good dude to me. And this team."
On the other hand, Gore is also unsure whether or not he will still be in a 49ers uniform next season. According to reports, the 49ers are expected to offer a contract that is lower than his current $6.45 million salary and will have a reduced role next season as he is set to turn 32 years old next year.
Gore said that he wants to be back next year, but he did not talk about a possible pay cut and reduced role. According to 49ers general manager Trent Baalke, they also want to retain Gore, but added that there are certain factors to consider moving forward.
"He understands what he means to this organization," Baalke said via CSN Bay Area. "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."
