NEW ORLEANS -- When 49ers defensive line coach Jim Tomsula conducted bed check Tuesday night for the team's midnight curfew, he found all of the players in their rooms.
Furthermore, more than half the team was already asleep. It got to the point, where Tomsula and team security began knocking softly on the doors, as not to disturb anyone's rest.
He considered an offer from the New England Patriots before returning to the 49ers during training camp on a one-year, $2 million deal.
"I really thought highly of (the Patriots' offer) and I was up late at night at my hotel talking with my agent about it," Goldson recalled. "(Coach Bill) Belichick is a good guy. We talked football and he expressed how he wanted me there. But we were on a building stage (with the 49ers) and I wanted to be part of that. We had made strides."
I hope they trade him or release him and when they do, they don't make it about him wanting to leave. As if he's being disloyal or discontent. I understand that the feeling is the Niners don't want to pay a backup 8.5 million and don't need Smith, but it's a bit mutual in both not wanting Alex here next year - Alex so he can play and them so they can resign others. But there's no need to overcompensate.
I expect them to be classy in release or trade, though so this isn't an issue. Other franchises or Nolan or something, I wouldn't be so sure. I'm sure Nolan would either make it clear that he doesn't want Smith or openly throw around questions of loyalty. "It comes down to whether he wants to look out for his career or the team" or something. Maybe I'm being unfair to Nolan, it's clear I don't like him much. I liked him before the shoulder injury because I thought he was defending his team a lot and trying hard. It later appeared that he was scapegoating a lot. Not just on Alex.
“He said ‘Are you talking to anybody? I said, ‘No, I swear, I’m not talking to anybody.’ (He said) ‘Dad, you’ve got to tell me, you’re not even going to tell Jackie, you’re not going to tell mom who we’re thinking about drafting tomorrow. I said ‘Jim, just tell me who it is. I promise you I won’t say anything to anyone.’ He said ‘We’re drafting Colin Kaepernick.’ He said ‘I not only think he’s the best quarterback in the draft, I think he’s the best football player in the draft. And we’re going with Colin Kaepernick.”