The San Francisco 49ers will try to secure long-term contracts for Michael Crabtree and Mike Iupati before they become free agents next year, according to general manager Trent Baalke.
Both players have become integral parts of the 49ers' recent success under Jim Harbaugh and Baalke is determined to keep them at the club, but accepts that it could be a difficult task.
"We're going to try," Baalke told CSNBayArea.com. "We're going to work at it, certainly. But at some point, you got to stop negotiating deals and let these guys concentrate on playing football. I don't know what point that is. We'll make that determination as a club.
"But we're certainly going to work toward that goal. Those are two very good football players, and guys we'd love to have in this organisation for the long term."
The 49ers reached the NFC championship game for a third year in a row last season, but were defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks.
Simon Sinclair
