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Jonathan Martin makes 49ers’ 53-man roster

By WTOP Staff

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Offensive lineman Jonathan Martin, who had a tumultuous departure from the Miami Dolphins last October amid a bullying scandal, made the 49ers when the team trimmed its roster to the NFL’s 53-man limit on Saturday.

Martin is getting a fresh start with the 49ers following a scandal in which he accused teammate Richie Incognito of bullying. An NFL investigation determined Incognito and two other Dolphins offensive linemen engaged in persistent harassment of Martin.

Martin started all four of San Francisco’s preseason games at right tackle in place of injured regular Anthony Davis. He also has value at other line positions and has fit in well with his new team this summer.

“Jonathan is another example of someone who has really earned the position, and we’re very fortunate to have him and excited about it,” 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh said Saturday. “He’s mainly played tackle, but he has the ability to play guard and going forward that will be something that he’ll continue to learn and be good at. I feel very good about it. He’s done an excellent job of getting the job done.”

Martin joins rookies Marcus Martin and Dillon Farrell as new additions to a San Francisco line that parted ways with Adam Snyder, a nine-year veteran with 87 career starts. Snyder was expected to be a top backup at center and both guard positions this season.

Snyder has 87 starts, including 75 with the 49ers, who drafted him in the third round in 2005. He returned to the team last season after spending one year in Arizona, starting four games at left guard in place of the injured Mike Iupati.

The 49ers also are without incumbent starting right guard Alex Boone, a holdout all summer as he seeks a new contract.

Also among those released were safeties C.J. Spillman and Bubba Ventrone, wide receiver Kassim Osgood and long snapper Kevin McDermott. All four veterans were standouts on San Francisco’s special teams units last season.

The 49ers kept free agent Kyle Nelson to replace McDermott and several other new young faces to fill in on special teams, including undrafted rookie James McCray. Farrell also made the team as an undrafted rookie.

The 49ers also provided quarterback Colin Kaepernick with more help at the skill positions by keeping six wide receivers, including newcomer veterans Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd along with fourth-round draft pick Bruce Ellington.

Those three additions will join holdover starters Anquan Boldin and Michael Crabtree and youngster Quinton Patton in a vastly upgraded San Francisco receiver corps.

“There’s only one football and that’s not going to change,” Harbaugh said. “Nothing will be given. These guys will be competing, and it will be competition at the highest level, no question when you look at that group. But the competition won’t be self-centered. It will be something that will be very good for our team.”

The 49ers also padded their depth behind Kaepernick by keeping backup quarterbacks Blaine Gabbert and Josh Johnson. San Francisco went primarily with two quarterbacks on its roster last season.

Johnson finished the preseason on Thursday by completing 14 of 17 passes for 135 yards and three touchdowns during a 40-13 win over of the Houston Texans. He had a 110.8 passer rating and led the 49ers in all major passing categories. He also was fourth on the team with 57 rushing yards.

“We all felt like he earned it,” Harbaugh said.

Also released by the 49ers were: offensive linemen Carter Bykowski, Al Netter, Michael Philipp and Ryan Seymour, wide receivers Lance Lewis and L’Damian Washington, defensive linemen Lawrence Okoye and Mike Purcell, linebackers Shane Skov and Chase Thomas, tight end Asante Cleveland, cornerback Darryl Morris and running backs Glenn Winston and Alfonso Smith. Winston led the team in rushing during the preseason with 113 yards on 19 carries.

To reach the final 53-player roster limit, the 49ers placed fullback Will Tukuafu and cornerback Kenneth Acker on the injured reserve list.

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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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