A year ago, the 49ers spent a sixth-round draft pick on a blocking tight end. But Bear Pascoe struggled in camp, and the 49ers' coaches were not impressed with the way he competed. When the final cuts arrived, the 49ers decided to stick with two tight ends on the 53-man roster.

Moreover, they opted for Joe Jon Finley, an undrafted free agent from the previous season, to get the nod over Pascoe on the practice squad. Pascoe eventually signed with the New York Giants, and made it onto the roster by season's end. He caught one pass for 9 yards.

Shawntae Spencer started every game at right cornerback. Dashon Goldson started every game at free safety. The 49ers can look at those players and pencil them into the starting lineup in 2010 and beyond.

Strong safety Michael Lewis will enter his ninth NFL season. Cornerback Nate Clements begins his 10^th season. Those are the spots where the 49ers must start thinking about getting younger players ready to take over for the future.

There will undoubtedly be some turnover this season in the 49ers' secondary. It might not be reflected in the starting unit. But there should be some new faces playing major roles in the team's substitute packages.

Hall of Famers Steve Young and Jerry Rice both live in the Bay Area, and they said they continue to closely follow the 49ers. I asked both Hall of Famers if they were willing to share their vast knowledge with the 49ers of today.

Their answers were yes and yes.

Jerry Rice was named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame today, and he announced that former 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo will introduce him at the induction ceremony this summer in Canton, Ohio.

DeBartolo just took part in a conference call with Bay Area reporters. He addressed his thoughts about entering the Hall of Fame himself. He also said he plans to travel to the Bay Area in May to help the 49ers, and his nephew, team president Jed York, with the Santa Clara stadium campaign.

Receiver Jerry Rice just moments ago officially became the fourth first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer from the 49ers' core group of the 1980s and '90s.

Rice joins Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott and Steve Young as 49ers stars elected in their first year of eligibility. Rice last played for the Seahawks in 2004. He went to training camp with the Broncos in 2005 but did not make it to the regular season. Therefore, his Hall-of-Fame five-year clock began ticking in 2004.

Linebacker Rickey Jackson, who played the 1994 and '95 seasons with the 49ers and earned a Super Bowl ring, was also elected to the Hall of Fame.

Others selected as part of the Hall of Fame class of 2010 were: running back Emmitt Smith, guard Russ Grimm, defensive tackle John Randle, as well as defensive back and coach Dick LeBeau and running back Floyd Little. 

Jerry Rice, Roger Craig and Charles Haley have a combined eight Super Bowl rings with the 49ers. All three are finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Rice, the holder of every significant receiving record in NFL history, is a lock to be among the four to seven enshrines who will be announced as part of the Class of 2010 Hall of Fame on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Rickey Jackson also won a Super Bowl ring with the 49ers, as did Richard Dent, though he was injured and did not play in 49ers' victory over the San Diego Chargers in January 1995.

Fifteen seasons have passed since the 49ers played in a Super Bowl. Back then, winning was a part of the team's DNA, much the same way as losing has become part of the 49ers since many of the team's leaders were fired after the 2003 season.

Eric Davis and Gary Plummer both played on the 49ers' last Super Bowl team. They remain close to the current team in their roles as analysts on television and radio, respectively.

When I asked them which characteristic the current team needed most from that 1994 team, their answers were similar. The 49ers' last Super Bowl team was comprised of veteran leaders at nearly every position. That team also had a mindset that nothing could prevent them from winning.

The 49ers hired Ray Brown, 47, as assistant offensive line coach on Jan. 27, the morning after Mike Singletary interviewed him at the Senior Bowl. He began work at the 49ers' offices on Monday.

Today, he took part in a conference call with reporters after the club announced earlier in the day that he rejoined the organization. Brown played with the 49ers from 1996 to 2001, and was selected to his only Pro Bowl after the 2001 season. Brown played 20 NFL seasons.

Today we begin a position-by-position breakdown of the 49ers with a look at the running backs.

A year ago, the 49ers were definitely in the market for a running back in the draft. Coach Mike Singletary and GM Scot McCloughan clearly stated that preference. Sure enough, the 49ers invested a third-round pick in running back Glen Coffee.

Here are two questions I've heard a lot in the past week: Are the 49ers going to trade for quarterback Donovan McNabb? Are the 49ers going to trade for receiver Brandon Marshall?

The answer to one question is "absolutely no." The answer to the other question is "probably not, but it would not completely shock me."