National Football League

Westbrook chooses winning by signing with the 49ers

Published Aug. 17, 2010 12:27 a.m. ET

foxsports

It came as a surprise to many that veteran RB Brian Westbrook signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday. It was believed he was going to sign with the St. Louis Rams. The Washington Redskins were also interested in the veteran back, but the interest wasn’t mutual, a source said, despite head coach Mike Shanahan saying repeatedly that they were still interested in him. His younger brother Byron Westbrook plays for the Redskins, and the Westbrook family hails from the Washington, D.C., area. Oh, and he could have been reunited with QB Donovan McNabb, a player he spent nine years playing with. So why not return home?

In San Francisco, he’ll have a chance to return to the playoffs, which is something he did for most of his career with the Eagles. The 49ers are the odd-on favorites to win the NFC West. But they do not run a west coast offensive system, so it may take him a little longer to learn their scheme. With the sudden retirement of second-year RB Glen Coffee, Westbrook will be expected to assume the primary backup role behind starting RB Frank Gore. However, asking Westbrook, who turns 31 next month to be an insurance policy for Gore, might be a little too much to expect. Westbrook has dealt with knee problems for several seasons, but also with major concussion problems for the first time in his career last season. He has also never played a full season in his entire eight-year career. A healthy Westbrook will be able to give Gore a breather in passing situations. Sixth-round pick Anthony Dixon had a great game against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday, but the big-bodied back does not excel at pass protection, and he had not performed well enough in practice up to that point.

With St. Louis, Westbrook would have been reunited with Steve Spagnuolo and Pat Shurmur, who worked for Philadelphia earlier in their careers. But while St. Louis does run a West Coast system, it’s highly unlikely they will make a playoff push this season.