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Rumor: Patrick Willis considering comeback with San Francisco 49ers

By Carl Cockerham

Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Patrick Willis (52) in game action against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. San Francisco beat Dallas 28-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Patrick Willis (52) in game action against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. San Francisco beat Dallas 28-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /
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Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Patrick Willis (52) in game action against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. San Francisco beat Dallas 28-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 7, 2014; Arlington, TX, USA; San Francisco 49ers inside linebacker Patrick Willis (52) in game action against the Dallas Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. San Francisco beat Dallas 28-17. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

The San Francisco 49ers organization has gone through a disastrous stretch these last couple of years. There was a mass exodus of good players with prime years left from their 2012 Super Bowl team. They either chose to sign with another team in free agency or just retired rather than come back to the team.

Outside of OLB Aldon Smith getting cut for getting in trouble, much of that may have to do with head coach Jim Harbaugh being fired. Perhaps they knew the quarterback Colin Kaepernick was slipping and Harbaugh was the only guy they knew of that could reach him. But the 49ers have recently hired Spread Option wizard Chip Kelly to save him.

The team may be starting to believe in Kaepernick again with as the Spread Offense was tailor-made for him. One of the problems Kaepernick had in 2015 was pass-protection because right tackle Anthony Davis is among those that retired. He announced right at the end of the season that he was going back to the 49ers.

Then on Thursday morning, what could be the best news the 49ers have had in years started to surface. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report reported Patrick Willis is considering an NFL comeback with the 49ers for the 2016 season. Just three years into a five-year contract at 30-years-old, he was among the retirees.

Willis was still a huge part of the 49ers’ defense at the time and his absence was felt in 2015. Remember, it was the selection of Willis at No. 11 overall in the 2007 NFL Draft that started the 49ers’ turnaround. Getting him back now would give the 49ers a huge boost and with Kaepernick comfortable running the Spread Option, you never know what could happen.