A day after running back Frank Gore agreed to sign with the Eagles, it appears the 49ers will be bidding farewell to another legendary player: The team is expecting inside linebacker Patrick Willis to retire, Yahoo Sports’ Rand Getlin reported this morning.

Willis, 30, a seven-time Pro Bowler, missed the final eight games of the 2014 season with a toe injury that required surgery. In November, Willis said the issues with his toe dated back several years and caused a decline in his play. He elected to have season-ending surgery because he feared the injury could shorten his career.

“When I hurt (it) in the Rams’ game, it kind of made me a little nervous because I knew what I had been feeling all these years,” Willis said. “I felt like the Lord was talking to me, I felt like he finally said the time is now …

“I feel like I have five or six more great years of football left in my body, but, unfortunately, this toe was telling me otherwise. That was the only thing that was weighing on my mind for a while now.”

If Willis’ career is over, the 49ers will turn to Chris Borland to fill his sizable cleats.

Borland, a 2013 third-round pick, led the 49ers in tackles last year (108) - and ranked 27th in the NFL - despite making just eight starts. He missed the final two games after he was placed on injured reserve with an ankle injury.

Borland was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month in November after he became the first player in 20 years to collect 70 tackles and two interceptions in a single calendar month. In his second career start, Borland collected 22 tackles, the most by a 49ers since Willis had 22 in 2013. The 49ers expect to have All_rpo inside linebacker NaVarro Bowman back in 2015 after he missed last season with a knee injury.

Willis is a five-time first-team All-Pro and his seven Pro Bowl berths to open his career are a franchise record. His retirement would create $7.4 million in salary-cap space.

Twitter: @Eric_Branch