49ers Notes:Thin at running back, the team invites the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner to

[The_Philster]

Rashaan redux -- Thin at running back, the 49ers brought in former Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam for this weekend's minicamp.

Salaam won the award in 1994 but has been plagued by injuries and has admitted to marijuana use. After stints with the Bears, Raiders and Cleveland Browns, Salaam played for the now-defunct Memphis Maniax of the XFL in 2001.

Salaam, 28, said his drug use is behind him and declared himself 100 percent healthy. Erickson said Salaam "moved around real well" Saturday and that the team would decide whether to invite him to training camp after Monday's practice....

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[Gunzlingr]

After two strong practices, running back Rashaan Salaam is in line for a contract with the 49ers. General Manager Terry Donahue indicated Sunday that Salaam's tryout had been a success, and that he was inclined to keep the 1994 Heisman Trophy winner around for training camp in July.

``Yes, I think he's looked impressive,'' Donahue said after the second day of mini-camp in Santa Clara. ``I think that he has a chance to be invited to training camp. I think that's fair to say.''

Salaam, 28, arrived for the weekend as a tryout player, which meant he could work out for the 49ers for 48 hours without a contract. After practice Sunday, Donahue said he was going to explore a deal later in the day in hopes of allowing Salaam to participate in today's final session.

This marks Donahue's second attempt to land the running back. As UCLA's coach in the early 1990s, he tried to persuade Salaam to play for the Bruins.

``I recruited him real hard out of high school,'' Donahue said. ``He made a visit and acted like he was coming. We never had a chance. I told him it's a small world: Things go 'round and 'round.''

Salaam instead went to Colorado, where in 1994 he became the fourth Division I-A player to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. The Chicago Bears drafted him with the 21st pick in the 1995 draft, but his pro career has been a disappointment. He struggled with fumbles as a rookie and has since been released by the Bears, Raiders, Cleveland Browns and Green Bay Packers. He played for the Memphis Maniax of the XFL in 2001.



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[The_Philster]

SANTA CLARA -- Rashaan Salaam's two-day tryout with the 49ers may have been enough to earn him a trip back to Santa Clara for the team's training camp in July.
Coach Dennis Erickson and general manager Terry Donahue said they would decide by today whether the former Heisman Trophy winner had won a roster spot. Both said they were impressed by Salaam, who looked sharp during the weekend minicamp, and indicated he likely would be one of the 80 players invited to camp.
"He's very smooth," Erickson said. "He's got very good speed."
It wouldn't be the first time Salaam was close to landing on a Donahue team....

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