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Tom Gamble recently had lengthy chat with 49ers GM Trent Baalke at Senior Bowl

Former 49ers and Eagles personnel man Tom Gamble is in Mobile for the Senior Bowl. 49ers GM Trent Baalke is also there, and it sounds like they have been talking. What could it mean?

USA Today Sports

Let the hot rumors commence! CSN Philly Eagles Insider Geoff Mosher ran into former Eagles and 49ers personnel man Tom Gamble at a coffee shop in Mobile, AL, and Gamble had just wrapped up a long conversation with San Francisco 49ers general manager Trent Baalke.

The two of them are in Mobile for the Senior Bowl, and have extensive history. Gamble worked with Trent Baalke and the San Francisco 49ers, serving as director of player personnel from 2011 to early 2013, and director of pro personnel from 2005-2011. He departed for a similar job with the Philadelphia Eagles in part due to his father's health concerns. His father has unfortunately since passed away. Gamble continued in the job, but was fired after what appeared to be some kind of power struggle between head coach Chip Kelly and general manager Howie Roseman.

When Gamble left the 49ers, the team promoted Joel Patten to director of player personnel, and promoted Matt Malaspina to director of college scouting. Patten abruptly departed the 49ers before the 2014 NFL Draft, and the the team never formally promoted a replacement.

There is plenty that can be inferred from this given the mutual history. It is entirely possible he and Trent Baalke are working out a return to the Bay Area. Gamble was viewed by many as a key cog in the development of the roster when Jim Harbaugh arrived, and was viewed as a conduit between Harbaugh and the front office. On the other hand, these are two friends who don't see each other that often, and could have been doing some catching up. I guess we'll see what the next few weeks bring.