Red Bluff Daily News

May 10, 2014

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ByJohnWawrow The Associated Press ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. Receiver Stevie Johnson is heading to his hometown San Francisco 49ers after being the odd man out in Buffalo. The Bills traded Johnson to the 49ers on Friday in a deal made before the start of the second round of the NFL draft. In ex- change, Buffalo acquired an un- disclosed pick next year. ESPN reported it was a conditional fourth-round selection. The deal was made a day after the Bills traded up five spots to select Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins with the fourth pick. Watkins' addition was the lat- est in a series of moves the Bills have made to restock their re- ceiver position, and it led to John- son being expendable after six seasons in Buffalo. The Bills also acquired receiver Mike Williams in a trade with Tampa Bay last month. Last year, Buffalo used second- and third-round picks to draft Robert Woods and Mar- quise Goodwin. Johnson left Buffalo on Thurs- day, when he was spotted on a flight that landed in Las Ve- gas about an hour after Buffalo drafted Watkins. "Today's decision was not an easy one to make, especially in- volving a player like Stevie, who leaves everything he has on the field and is an emotional leader in our locker room," Bills gen- eral manager Doug Whaley said. "All of the decisions we make are done so in the best interest of our team." The 49ers, by comparison, had a need for receiver and were ex- pected to address the position in the draft. San Francisco instead gained an experienced player in Johnson to fill a key spot as San Francisco's likely No. 3 receiver behind Michael Crabtree and An- quan Boldin. While Boldin received a new $12 million, two-year contract in March, Crabtree is entering the final season of his contract and San Francisco lost Mario Man- ningham in free agency. Johnson spent the past four seasons as a starter in Buffalo. He became the Bills first player to break 1,000 yards receiving in consecutive seasons in 2010-11, and extended the streak in 2012. 49ers first-round draft pick safety Jimmie Ward was thrilled to learn of the addition of Johnson as the defender made the rounds at team headquarters Friday. "It's awesome," Ward said. "I'm a competitor so I like to play against the best guys. If you've got a lot of best guys on your team, that's only going to get me better at the end of the day." Johnson's numbers dropped last year, when he finished with 52 catches for 597 yards in 12 games. Aside from being slowed by an assortment of injuries, he was excused by the team for the final two games of the season fol- lowing the death of his mother. Overall, he has 301 catches for 3,842 yards and 28 touchdowns in 75 games. Johnson is from San Francisco and played collegiately at Ken- tucky. The Bills selected him in the seventh round in 2008. At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, NFL BillstradeJohnsonto 49ersfordraftpick Inexchange,Buffaloacquiresdra picknext year, reportedly for fourth-round selection GARYWIEPERT—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILEPHOTO In this Dec. 1, 2013, file photo, Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson (13) pushes off Atlanta Falcons cornerback Robert McClain (27) during the first half of a game in Toronto. The Bills traded Johnson to the San Francisco 49ers on Friday. By Josh Dubow The Associated Press ALAMEDA The Oakland Raid- ers drafted their possible quar- terback of the future less than two months after acquiring a new starter. The Raiders drafted Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr with the 36th overall pick in the NFL draft on Friday night to com- pete with starter Matt Schaub. "They want me to come in, work hard, compete," Carr said. "Whenever I'm the quarterback, great. To me, it doesn't matter what the situation is — if I'm a starter, if I'm a backup, there to learn. My No. 1 goal is to help the Raiders win, and I'm going to do that." The Raiders also added help on the offensive line after trad- ing down 14 spots in the third round. Oakland drafted Missis- sippi State guard Gabe Jack- son 81st overall and also added a fourth-round pick from Miami in the deal, 116th overall. Oakland traded a sixth-round pick to Houston in March to ac- quire Schaub and immediately named him the starter. In an in- teresting twist, Schaub replaced Carr's older brother, David, as starter in Houston. David Carr was the first draft pick ever for the Texans in 2002 and started NFL DRAFT Raiders take Carr with 2nd-round pick Select possible quarterback of the future a er acquiring Schaub in March trade with Texans JASON DECROW — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Former Oakland Raiders cornerback Willie Brown reacts Friday as he announces Fresno State quarterback Derek Carr as the 36th pick by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the NFL Dra in New York. By Janie McCauley The Associated Press SANTA CLARA Carlos Hyde has long admired Frank Gore, and now he wants to compete against the veteran running back for San Francisco's starting job. The 49ers boosted their running game depth by selecting the Ohio State star with the 57th pick of the NFL draft in the second round af- ter trading down. The Niners acquired Miami's choice that came via San Diego af- ter sending the 56th pick to Denver only minutes earlier. San Francisco added a potent runner to comple- ment Gore and Co. on Day 2 of the draft Friday to join Thursday's first-round pick Jimmie Ward. "I'm going to definitely get in thereandcompetetogetthatstart- ing job and keep that running game alive that Frank Gore brought to the Niners," said Hyde, who ran for 1,521 yards for the Buckeyes in 2013. "That's a guy I watch in the NFL that plays really well. ...They felt like my skill set can really help them out, what I do, what I bring to the game, I think personally they feel that can really help them get to that next level, get that trophy." The 30-year-old Gore is enter- ing the final year of his contract. He is coming off his seventh 1,000- yard season and third straight in his nine-year career. In20careerstartsforOhioState and 41 games that also included playing fullback, Hyde generated 3,516 all-purpose yards, rushing for 3,198 yards on 523 carries. San Francisco traded the 61st pick of the second round to Jack- sonville, then selected USC center Marcus Martin at No. 70 and Wis- consin linebacker Chris Borland at 77th. Martin was the final player in the green room at draft headquar- ters in New York. "It makes you more hungry," Martin said. "I'm coming in with a chip on my shoulder." Earlier Friday, the 49ers ad- dressed a big need on the offensive side by acquiring wide receiver Stevie Johnson from the Buffalo Bills for an undisclosed 2015 draft pick. It was a high priority for gen- eral manager Trent Baalke to find a reliable receiver. Johnson is expected to fill a key spot as San Francisco's likely No. 3 receiver behind Michael Crabtree and Anquan Boldin. Crabtree was happy to hear about the addition of another play- maker to the receiving corps. "It's good," Crabtree offered with a thumbs up and smile as he departed the facility Friday night. Ward, selected 30th overall Thursday night, arrived at team headquartersandmadetherounds. He met some players, including quarterback Colin Kaepernick. "He said, 'Good luck, man, enjoy the weather,'" Ward said. Coach Jim Harbaugh has praised the tackling ability of Ward, who said he learned from his father and regularly hit two older brothers. "I was just taught to not be that guy that missed a tackle and slapped his hands, hit the ground," Ward said. "That's the sign of a loser, so I don't like that." NFL DRAFT 49ers take star back Hyde in 2nd round Ohio State product wants to compete against Gore JASON DECROW — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS USC center Marcus Martin was selected as the 70th pick Friday by the San Francisco 49ers. Last call came Friday for bar cars on commuter trains between Manhattan and Con- necticut, a final run for rolling taverns where workers gath- ered for decades to play dice, find jobs and hold parties. NEW YORK Barcarsmakefinal run on area trains FULLSTORYONPAGEB3 The Red Bluff Spartans vol- leyball camp is scheduled for June 23-27and is open to girls in fourth through ninth grades. The cost is $60. For more information call 529- 8710. YOUTH VOLLEYBALL Red Bluff Spartans hosting camp The Shasta-Red Bluff baseball game to decide the Sac River League title went past our print deadline. A full game story is available on our web- site redbluffdailynews.com. MORE ON THE WEB Shasta at Red Bluff baseball coverage Derick Brassard scored twice, with New York's first power- play goal in 10games, and the Rangers avoided elimination with a 5-1victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 5of the Eastern semifinals. NHL PLAYOFFS Rangers beat Penguins, fend off elimination FULL STORY ON PAGE B2 JOHNSON PAGE 2 RAIDERS PAGE 2 SPORTS » redbluffdailynews.com Saturday, May 10, 2014 MORE AT FACEBOOK.COM/RBDAILYNEWS AND TWITTER.COM/REDBLUFFNEWS B1

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