San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Braylon Edwards was released on Tuesday after an injury-riddled season.  He suffered a knee injury in week 2 that sidelined him for five weeks, and then suffered a shoulder injury two weeks later.

On his website,  www.braylonedwards.com, he posted a message to his fans, saying “I was released today by the 49ers due to my injury that required more time to rehab and hasn’t allowed me to re-sync with the offense. I wish the 49ers organization the best of luck during the Playoffs. I will be working hard this off season to strengthen my knee and prepare for the 2012 season. Thanks for your continued support and for being such loyal fans.”

Braylon Edwards signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the 49ers in August. In 2010 with the New York Jets, Edwards had an impressive year, catching 53 passes for 904 yards and 7 touchdowns. 2011 is a much different story, with his stats totaling 15 receptions for 181 yards and no touchdowns.

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 It’s been clear that the 49ers and Edwards were both unhappy. After a 21-19 loss to Arizona on Dec. 11th in which Edwards did not have a catch and only played 12 snaps, he refused to answer questions from reporters, telling them to talk to receivers who played. The following week, he was benched for “non-injury” reasons. Jon Harbaugh, the head coach of the 49ers, said the benching was due to performance.

The 49ers wide receiver corp. has been anything less than impressive this year. They rank 29th out of 30th in the NFL in passing, but have maintained their NFC West leading 12-3 record by having the number 1 ranked defense in the league – a defense that allowed their first rushing touchdown of the year last week to Marshawn Lynch.

With Braylon Edwards now gone, the 49ers only healthy receivers are Michael Crabtree, who has 64 receptions for 788 yards and 2 touchdowns, and Brett Swain, who has 1 catch on the year.  Kyle Williams, Ted Ginn and Vernon Davis, who collectively have 9 touchdowns for over 1000 yards, are all injured. The team is expected to sign a veteran free agent to fill the gap.

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Former 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan said he was only joking when he predicted that the Seattle Seahawks would “beat the hell” out of the 49ers on Saturday.

Now a senior personnel executive for the Seahawks, McCloughan was quoted by Yahoo’s Mike Silver as saying of the 49ers: “They come to our place Christmas Eve, and we’re going to beat the hell out of ‘em.”

Asked Friday by this newspaper if the quote was accurate, McCloughan responded via text message: “Said it jokingly, no story at all.”

McCloughan left his post with the 49ers a month before the 2010 draft. The Yahoo! Story examined how McCloughan helped construct a 49ers roster that has produced the franchise’s first NFC West title since 2002.

The Yahoo! report also shared an anecdote about how proud McCloughan was of Frank Gore becoming the 49ers’ all-time leading rusher. Gore was a third-round pick in McCloughan’s first draft in 2005.

McCloughan is considered a candidate for the Raiders’ vacant general manager post. His ties run deep to that franchise, as his father, Kent, played for the Raiders and has served as a longtime scout.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Vernon Davis has stepped it up for the San Francisco 49ers this season in ways that go beyond the star tight end’s typical contributions to the team’s passing game.

The charismatic sixth-year veteran has emerged as one of the 49ers’ more visible leaders and has been outspoken in support of teammates.

He also can be counted on when the team’s inconsistent offence needs him most.

Davis took charge to spark the 49ers’ first touchdown drive late in the third quarter of Monday night’s game against Pittsburgh, setting up his own 1-yard scoring reception with two big plays that got San Francisco rolling toward a 20-3 victory.

Davis’ six receptions for 72 yards against the Steelers were his second-best totals in each category this season, underscoring how Davis has been used this year within the framework of San Francisco’s offence.

With two games remaining, Davis is well off the receiving totals that made him the NFC’s starting tight end in the Pro Bowl two seasons ago. But Davis’ contributions to San Francisco’s first NFC West championship and playoff berth in nine years go well beyond numbers.

“Vernon is a leader on this team,” coach Jim Harbaugh said Thursday. “He’s done everything that the team has asked him to do and done it very well, done it at a very high level. I think he’s having an outstanding season. One of the top tight ends in the game of football, and I think he’s having that kind of year.”

After becoming the first tight end in franchise history to lead the 49ers in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches in consecutive seasons the past two years, Davis ranks second on the team this year to wide receiver Michael Crabtree with 55 receptions for 620 yards.

Davis said he’s enjoying every minute of it. Like a lot of players on the San Francisco roster, this is his first winning season.

“We’re winning, and I’m excited about it as anybody,” Davis said. “I’ll always do whatever I can to dominate my opponent, but that’s just who I am. That’s just my nature to do that. But yeah, I was very excited that I was able to be involved in the passing game (Monday) and help my team win.”

With the 49ers clinging to a three-point lead late in the third quarter, Davis got behind the Steelers defence for a 31-yard reception that pushed San Francisco into Pittsburgh territory. He finished the drive with a 21-yard reception followed by his 1-yard scoring catch — Davis’ team-leading sixth touchdown reception this season.

But Davis, known for his confidence and boasting earlier in his career, has remained humble throughout the 49ers’ turnaround season.

Instead of reveling in one of his best games of the year, Davis went to Twitter early Tuesday to support a struggling teammate, calling veteran wide receiver Braylon Edwards “a true professional. Very thankful to have him on my team.”

Edwards, expected to be San Francisco’s No. 1 receiver entering the season, is having a frustrating first year with the 49ers. Edwards has battled knee and shoulder problems this season and has been inactive for two of San Francisco’s past three games. He has one reception for five yards in the past five games.

Davis also has remained consistent in his support of quarterback Alex Smith this season when others have wavered.

Davis, who leads all NFL tight ends with 26 touchdown receptions since 2009, has been Smith’s top target since Smith entered the NFL as the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2005.

Davis followed Harbaugh’s lead this week in asserting that Smith is the team’s long-term answer at quarterback.

“I firmly believe that Alex Smith can do nothing but just keep getting better,” Davis said. “He wants to be successful and try to find ways to help this team get better down the road. I’m all for it. I’m a big supporter.”