49ers sign LB Scott McKillop and DE Ricky Jean-Francois to 4-year contracts

by Fooch on May 14, 2009 1:28 PM PDT in News Comment 19 comments

The San Francisco 49ers announced today that they have signed fifth-round draft choice LB Scott McKillop and seventh-round draft choice DE Ricky Jean-Francois to four-year contracts. The players become the second and third 2009 draft picks to sign contracts with their NFL teams this offseason, with Lions QB Matthew Stafford having signed his contract prior to the start of the draft.

“It says a lot about these young men that they have made it a priority to get their contract negotiations out of the way early,” said 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan. “Now they have the ability to focus solely on helping to make this team better and starting their professional careers off on the right foot. The cooperation we received from their agents was tremendous.”

It's definitely a good thing to get the young guys signed and into training camp on time. The big key will be getting Crabtree and Coffee locked up. But still, good to see McCloughan and company taking care of business. Particularly interesting given that they're the first draft picks to sign contracts after Stafford.

After the jump we include a few details about the two rookies.

McKillop (6-1, 244) was twice honored as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. The two-time All-America and All-Big East selection finished his four-year Pitt career with 345 tackles, 28.5 tackles for a loss, and eight sacks. In 48 career games (25 starts), McKillop also posted 13 passes defensed, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. A 2008 semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, given annually to the country’s best defensive player, he led the Big East in tackles (137), ranking 10th in the nation.

Jean-Francois (6-3, 295) played in 25 games (9 starts) and posted 56 tackles, 5.5 sacks, three passes defensed, three fumble recoveries and a forced fumble during his LSU career. In 2008, he played in 11 games (6 starts) at defensive tackle, recording 20 tackles, two sacks, two passes defensed and a fumble recovery. In 2007, Jean Francois started two games and was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player in the BCS National Championship Game, registering six tackles, a half sack and a blocked field goal, in LSU’s win over Ohio State.

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Allright!!

Now go hit someone in the mouth!

Physical with an 'F'
Mike Singletary

by Bertleman on May 14, 2009 2:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Coffee has no bargining power

Unless you are a 1st round pick the contract is slotted and handed to you at camp. You sign it in 90 seconds or effectively end your career.

by bignerd on May 14, 2009 2:19 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Unfortunately that's not true

by jonesin25 on May 14, 2009 4:17 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Really?

What leverage does a third round pick have? You either sign and play, showcasing your talent, or you don’t sign and sit out for a year. Sitting out for a year can be detrimental to a non-first rounder, as they weren’t highly regarded to begin with, and now you’ll miss out on a year of conditioning, not to mention adapting to the Pro game. This is not to mention his role is, probably, one of the most replaceable roles in the NFL: the backup RB.

Basically, Coffee may be able to haggle for a little more in guarantees if the whomever is negotiating for the 49ers is nice, but it’s unlikely he has very much power over discussions overall.

by sfgfan on May 14, 2009 4:55 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's right

The only thing you can haggle over is a few extra bucks or a few extra guaranteed dollars. 1st round picks take all the rookie money, which is why 2nd round and latter picks are practically slotted salaries . . . agents don’t challenge this because it would effect their 1st round picks money.

If you aren’t a 1st round pick you sign contract, take the field and hope to perform well. If you do great like Frank Gore, than the team tears up the contract and gives you the one you deserve. Otherwise the player than holds out and still eventually ends up the big contract.

by bignerd on May 14, 2009 5:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crabtree

I’m afraid he will want a contract bigger than Heyward-Bey’s eventual contract even though he was drafted 3 slots behind. A holdout would be bad for both sides, gulp.

Mo'ped Money, Mo'ped Problems

by Scooter Ellis on May 14, 2009 2:36 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Just give him the money then

Crabtree deserves more that Heyward-Bey so why not

by danknerd49 on May 14, 2009 3:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Raiders obviously don’t feel he deserved more… which is why they chose Bey. The Raiders will try to under pay him, and he’ll be a holdout until 3 weeks into camp… never getting the time he needs with to build a repoire with their QB…. then will already be considered a bust by their fans.

Crabtree needs to just keep his mouth shut, and take what he’s offered. If you want more money, then earn it by scoring touchdowns.

by aBulldog on May 14, 2009 3:13 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The Raiders are so stupid

They keep trying to draft players above value thinking they wont have to pay them at the level they were drafted. Agents these days don’t play that shit, they are gunna get the money their player was picked at. You are right, Bey will be a holdout, you know his agent has dollar signs in his eyes right now. As long as it is happening to the Raiders though I love it, I think it’s hilarious.

by jonesin25 on May 14, 2009 4:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

RE: If you want more money, then earn it by scoring touchdowns.

Then people will bitch when he wants to rework his deal after he scores all of those touchdowns.

Don't sweat it. I'm illiterate.

by methodrampage on May 15, 2009 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

by Italia1970 on May 14, 2009 9:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

You pessimist....

Can’t even see what these signings really represent.

The fact that they signed this early means that they (McKillop and RJF) want to be in SF and that the only thing they care about is securing a roster spot.

by chikmagnet_565 on May 14, 2009 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs