Agent: Niners still in play, as decision expected today

In Arizona, the saga has played out for a full year. The 49ers have only been involved since the first day of free agency on Friday, but it seems like a year. Anyway, the episode should come to an end in a matter of hours.

Agent Mark Bartelstein, who represents Cardinals free-agent quarterback Kurt Warner, said his client will decide today where he is going to play in 2009. And, believe it or not, it remains a possibility Warner will play half of his games at Candlestick Park.

“Oh, yeah,” Bartelstein said when asked if the 49ers still had a chance. “We’re going to shake our way through this thing and see what happens.”

Bartelstein said he continues to speak to the 49ers about a contract for his client.

“We’ve talked, we’ve been talking straight,” Bartelstein said. “We know where we are with that. They’ve been great. I think he (Warner) will make a decision today and try to bring this to an end.”

Warner’s camp presented the Cardinals with a contract demand of two years, $23 million after returning from his trip to visit the 49ers. “We’ve talked to the Cardinals about it conceptually,” Bartelstein said. “We’ll know more today based on what happens.”

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There have been a lot of questions about this non-offer offer that the 49ers gave Warner. While some do not consider it a “formal offer,” that is just a matter of semantics. Warner and his agent know the exact terms of the contract the 49ers are willing to give the two-time league MVP.

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