Posted at 2:42 a.m., Tuesday, July 17, 2007
NFL: 49ers sign No. 1 pick OT Staley
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Offensive tackle Joe Staley, San Francisco's second of two first-round picks in the April NFL draft, reached an agreement in principle on a five-year contract with the 49ers, according to Len Pasquarelli of espn.com.The deal will be officially signed today after some details in contract language are addressed.
Staley, picked No. 28 overall, is only the second pick in the first round to come to contract terms, joining Chicago Bears tight end Greg Olsen, the 31st selection.
Staley, a former tight end at Central Michigan, was the third offensive tackle selected in the first round, after Joe Thomas (Cleveland) and Levi Brown (Arizona).
Although he worked at starting right tackle during minicamps (incumbent Kwame Harris was injured), Staley is viewed as San Francisco's long-term solution at left tackle.
The 49ers traded with New England, giving up their No. 1 pick in 2008 for the Patriots' spot.
San Francisco chose University of Mississippi middle linebacker Patrick Willis with its own pick in the first round, the No. 11 spot overall.
Staley, who is now listed at 6 feet 5 and 306 pounds, moved to right tackle as a sophomore in 2004, then to left tackle in 2005, and played his final two seasons there.
