Around the NFL News and notes

49ers: Shaun Hill has earned the nod as the San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback, beating out Alex Smith. Coach Mike Singletary made the announcement before Monday afternoon’s practice at the team’s Santa Clara headquarters. Singletary had been hesitant to say who was leading the competition and each QB earned one exhibition start. Neither did much to distinguish himself in those outings according to Singletary, who hadn’t planned to name his starter until after Saturday’s preseason game at Dallas. This isn’t a big surprise considering how Hill finished last season. He’s also never lost at home as a starter at Candlestick Park in five games the past two years.Hill showed up at training camp saying he believed he would win the job — and Singletary had repeatedly said he expected Smith would have to take the job from Hill. Singletary, offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye and quarterbacks coach Mike Johnson came to the decision together.

Seahawks: The Seahawks are mum on talk they are on “Edge.” For now, anyway. A team spokesman said the team would not comment Monday about the subject of Edgerrin James, amid reports the free agent and league’s active leading rusher with 12,121 yards has signed with Seattle. The spokesman said the Seahawks would address the “speculation” today, their next practice day heading into their third preseason game on Saturday at Kansas City. The 31-year-old James, a former star with the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts, did not visit Seahawks headquarters and was not in the Seattle area on Monday. He has not taken or passed a physical, so a contract is not finished. Seahawks coach Jim Mora did not comment on James during a 30-minute session with reporters. When asked how his running backs have been this preseason, Mora said “just OK.” He called Seattle’s new running game “still a work in progress.”

Chargers: Philip Rivers got his big-money contract extension. Now all he needs to do to keep up with Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger is to win the Super Bowl. Rivers signed a six-year contract extension Monday with the San Diego Chargers worth $93 million, with $38 million guaranteed. A person familiar with the contract confirmed the numbers to The Associated Press, but requested anonymity because the team did not release any figures. The deal goes through 2015. Rivers is coming off his best pro season, when he threw 34 touchdown passes to tie former teammate Drew Brees for the NFL lead and break Hall of Famer Dan Fouts’ Chargers record. He also led the NFL with a quarterback rating of 105.5, another team record. He had 4,009 passing yards, joining Fouts as the only QBs in team history to throw for more than 4,000 in a season.

Titans: The Tennessee Titans have released receiver Chris Davis on Monday, just four days after he was arrested on a drunken driving charge.

Associated Press