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          NFL Nation

          Bubba Ventrone leaves for coaching gig in New England

          • Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff WriterMar 3, 2015, 03:15 PM ET
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              Paul Gutierrez joined NFL Nation in 2013 and serves as its Las Vegas Raiders reporter. He has a multi-platform role - writing on ESPN.com, television appearances on NFL Live and SportsCenter, and podcast and radio appearances. Before coming to ESPN, Gutierrez spent three years at CSN Bay Area as a multi-platform reporter, covering the Raiders and Oakland Athletics as well as anchoring the SportsNet Central cable news show. Gutierrez votes for the Baseball Hall of Fame and is also a member of the Professional Football Writers of America and currently serves as the PFWA's Las Vegas chapter president. He is also a member of the California Chicano News Media Association and the National Association of Hispanic Journalists. Gutierrez has authored three books: Tommy Davis' Tales from the Dodgers Dugout, 100 Things Raiders Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die and If These Walls Could Talk: Stories from the Raiders Sideline, Locker Room and Press Box with Lincoln Kennedy. You can follow Paul on Twitter @PGutierrezESPN
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          Take one of San Francisco's pending 15 unrestricted free agents off its "to-consider" list.

          Special teams ace/safety Bubba Ventrone, 32, has retired and is returning to his original NFL team as a special teams assistant, the New England Patriots announced on Tuesday.

          Ventrone, who first signed with New England as a rookie free agent out of Villanova in 2005, was also with the New York Jets in 2007, and played for the Cleveland Browns from 2009 through 2012, before coming to San Francisco in 2013.

          With the Niners in 2013, he was second in special-teams tackles with 15. He returned to Santa Clara on Oct. 8, 2014, played in eight games and had three special teams tackles before a groin injury ended his season in December.

          Ventrone retires with 54 special teams tackles, two special teams fumble recoveries and four kick returns.

          Following are the Niners' pending UFAs:

          QB Blaine Gabbert

          QB Josh Johnson

          RB Frank Gore

          RB Alfonso Smith

          RB Phillip Tanner

          WR Michael Crabtree

          WR Brandon Lloyd

          WR Kassim Osgood

          LG Mike Iupati

          LB Dan Skuta

          LB Desmond Bishop

          CB Chris Culliver

          CB Perrish Cox

          CB Chris Cook