Kerley, S.F. reach 3-year deal

INDIANAPOLIS — Two days after general manager John Lynch indicated the 49ers would probably sign some of their players before the start of free agency Thursday, they did just that.

The 49ers agreed to terms with wide receiver Jeremy Kerley, a pending free agent, the team announced Saturday. Kerley will sign a three-year extension worth $10.5 million, ESPN reported.

Kerley, 28, was one of the 49ers’ few bright spots as they

went 2-14 last season. After wideout Bruce Ellington suffered a season-ending hamstring injury, Kerley was acquired in a trade with the Lions in late August and led the team with a career-high 64 catches, 667 receiving yards and three touchdowns.

“As we evaluated the roster, his production on the field really impressed us and we believe he is a great fit for our scheme,” Lynch said. “As we learned more and more about him, it became obvious his teammates have a great deal of respect for Jeremy as well.”

In 2014 and ’15, Kerley combined for 54 catches and 561 yards with the Jets. His modest production explains why the 49ers were able to acquire him for guard Brandon Thomas, who spent the season on Detroit’s practice squad.

The 49ers figure to make upgrading their wide receiver corps a priority this offseason.

Torrey Smith, who was signed to a five-year, $40 million deal in 2015, has just 53 catches during his two-season tenure. Other wideouts on the roster include Chris Harper, Aaron Burbridge, DeAndre Smelter and Eric Rogers. Quinton Patton and Rod Streater are scheduled to be free agents.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked if any of the 49ers’ receivers stood out when he reviewed last year’s film.

“No one in particular,” Shanahan said. “I feel we’ve got a bunch of good players that we feel we can compete with and we know we’ve got to add some too. We’re going to add as many as we can to help our roster and we also want to add some competition.”

Hello, old rival: Cal’s Davis Webb and Texas Tech’s Patrick Mahomes have been lumped in the second tier of quarterback prospects at the NFL combine.

And it’s not the first time they’ve been together.

Webb transferred from Texas Tech following the 2015 season after losing his starting job to Mahomes, his understudy the previous year. No hard feelings, though. They are good friends who sent each other good-luck texts before each of their games in 2016. The well wishes evidently worked: Webb and Mahomes combined to throw for 9,347 yards and 78 touchdowns.

“He was watching my games late at night at Cal,” Webb said. “And I was watching his games in the morning. It’s been great seeing him here and other events throughout the draft process. I look forward to seeing where he goes. It’ll be a lot of fun.”

After throwing for 5,247 yards and 44 touchdowns in his first two seasons at Texas Tech, Webb lost his job to Mahomes before the 2015 season.

“We had a really tough battle at Texas Tech and I ended up coming out on top, but I knew he was going to be (at the combine) and I was going to be here,” Mahomes said. “That was something that was two great quarterbacks in the same situation, and the whole year that I was starting he was supportive.”

North Carolina’s Mitch Trubisky, Clemson’s Deshaun Watson and Notre Dame’s DeShone Kizer are viewed as the draft’s best QBs. There’s been buzz that Mahomes could also end up in the first round, while Webb is a projected secondor third-round selection.

“I’m not overlooked by NFL teams,” Webb said. “That’s the only thing I really care about. It’s just you guys (the media) who are doing that.”