The San Francisco 49ers sign Lelie to a two-year deal

Ashley Lelie just signed a two-year contract with the Niners, making him the fourth major free agent to join the team during a four-day signing frenzy that saw the Niners re-sign many of their own free agents. .

2006 was a disappointing year for Lelie with Atlanta after he caught 28 passes for 430 yards. Lelie was traded by the Broncos to Atlanta at the end of training camp last year. However, the 49ers didn’t seem to mind Lelie’s performance in 2006 because they need a top receiver after they released Antonio Bryant.

Coach Mike Nolan believes Lelie can recapture the form he showed during four good seasons with Denver when he had 3,003 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Lelie has been given a second fresh start and said he chose the 49ers over Houston because the team offered him a chance to start and become the player to compete with in the league.

The 49ers let Bryant go after a chaotic season that began when Bryant received a large signing bonus and ended with a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on substance abuse.

Although Lelie doesn’t have a history of trouble with coaches and the law like Bryant, she does have her fair share of controversy.

In 2006, Lelie skipped the Broncos’ offseason training program and later demanded to leave town because he felt Denver wasn’t using his skills. Denver ended up trading him to the Falcons in a three-way deal, but Lelie and the Broncos had to use an arbitrator to settle a financial disagreement over his departure.

Lelie is still bitter about the way he left Denver, but also blames himself for not acting. He, too, was not comfortable in Atlanta because Michael Vick had already forged a bond with the other Falcons receivers.