Andy Lee News

One of the reasons I started voting on a 49ers all-time team a few years back, was to give us a chance to learn a little bit more about some of the great 49ers players of the past.

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The 49ers are not only securing the long-term services of their star performers as they aim to build an enduring contender, they also are rewarding them with the big bucks of top-dollar contracts.

San Francisco 49ers All-Pro punter Andy Lee signed a six-year contract extension Wednesday that Matt Maiocco of Comcast SportsNet Bay Area reported was worth $20.5 million .

Mark Sanchez was sharp in the New York Jets' first session of organized team activities open to the media, while backup Tim Tebow threw two interceptions in a three-play span.

The players union claimed Wednesday that the NFL imposed a secret salary cap during the uncapped 2010 season that cost the players at least $1 billion.

Andy Lee has made every punt and held every field goal and extra-point attempt - minus a few in the preseason - for the San Francisco 49ers since 2004.

Ryan Carter snapped a tie with 4:24 left, and the New Jersey Devils posted a 5-3 victory over the New York Rangers after blowing a three-goal lead in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals on Wednesday night.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith prepares to pass as coach Jim Harbaugh watches during NFL football practice in Santa Clara, Calif., Wednesday, May 23, 2012.

Andy Lee is responsible for every 49ers punt -- and holding for every field-goal and point-after attempt -- since 2004.

Punter Andy Lee #4 of the San Francisco 49ers kicks the football during the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals at the University of Phoenix Stadium on December 11, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona.

The San Francisco 49ers have signed three-time All-Pro punter Andy Lee to a six-year contract extension through the 2018 season.

General manager Trent Baalke and the 49ers' chief contract negotiator, Paraag Marathe, were observed having a conversation at the end of Tuesday's practice, usually a sign that a deal is in the works.

And for whatever it's worth, the San Francisco 49ers' first-team offense was not exactly the picture of efficiency in Friday night's 23-14 victory over the San Diego Chargers before perhaps 25,000 fans at Monster Park.

The 49ers special teams unit rolled through the 2011 regular season thoroughly dominating their opponents.

Back in 2008 and 2009, we conducted a group of polls to select an all-time team for the San Francisco 49ers .

That statement may sound a tad unexpected, but it's true. I think that Andy Lee is every bit as important to the San Francisco 49ers as Patrick Willis, Alex Smith and Frank Gore .

So the 2012 NFL Draft has come and gone and the team has rounded out it's training-camp roster with undrafted free-agents . We know what they've invested in each player on the team from a monetary and draft-pick standpoint...the only logical thing to do next is to project the final 53-man roster.