Brian Westbrook has no illusions of grandeur. The newest 49ers said today that he knows that Frank Gore is, in his words, "the man" in San Francisco and that he is happy to play behind him. But that doesn't mean that Westbrook doesn't feel he can do the work of the 49ers No. 1 running back if called upon. "From my workouts I've had this offseason, from my conditioning this offseason, I don't see why I can't come in and carry the load," he said in his first press conference.
Westbrook, however, immediately steps in as Gore's top backup. Mike Singletary said the 49ers haven't discussed whether that will mean fewer carries for Gore, who has taken the lion's share of the snaps for the 49ers since 2006. But that is a likely scenario. "It is one of those things where I want him (Gore) to understand that we want him as long as we can have him," Singletary said. Gore has missed games in each of the last three seasons with ankle injuries, although he also has surpassed 1,000 yards in each of those seasons.
Singletary also said that while coaches were impressed with rookie Anthony Dixon's 100-yard performance Sunday in Indianapolis, Dixon still has plenty to learn. Translation: There is too much at stake this season to make Dixon the focal point of the offense should Gore get hurt, especially early on. "I would not want to put Dixon in that position right now," Singletary said. "... There is a lot to learn when it comes to pass protection."
Westbrook, meanwhile, said he fielded phone calls from several 49ers players, including Vernon Davis and Takeo Spikes, who helped sell him on the 49ers. Westbrook was being targeted by several teams, including the division rival Rams, some of whom offered him more money than the 49ers, who offered a one-year deal worth as much as $2.5 million. In Westbrook's eyes, the 49ers offered him something better.
"My No. 1 concern throughout the process was going to a winning team, a football team that was coached by a man I respect and a team that had a winning tradition and players that would be able to achieve that," Westbrook said. "I think I found all of those things here in San Francisco." Westbrook described himself as a "big Christian," and he said he respected Singletary's honest, straight-forward manner.
Westbrook is a two-time Pro Bowl selection, but he's only started 11 games in the last two seasons. Last year he suffered two concussions, and there were reports that he was considering retirement due to those concussions. "I never said that," Westbrook stressed. "That was someone who made those reports up."
"I did a lot of studying, a lot of homework ...," Westbrook said of concussions. "Every doctor I've talked to, all the specialists I've talked to said you're at risk just as much as any other player who's played this game." Westbrook passed a physical with the 49ers on Monday morning. Westbrook will wear No. 20, his college number. He wore No. 36 in Philadelphia.
-- Matt Barrows
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