The Alex / SF / Miami triangle

[Robotech]

Well now that the stupid Dolphins signed Garrard, there are only 2 teams in the NFL whose QB situations are not resolved. And the Browns can draft Tannehill. This should drive the price for Alex WAY down.

Time to lowball him, eh?

 

[NinerSickness]

Time to lowball him, eh?

Hell yes!

 

[ChrisPozz]

This was obviously before Harbaugh and Smith reportedly spoke tonight.

Maiocco:

Jed York said he has not spoken to Alex Smith since free-agency began. York said he did not know if Jim Harbaugh has talked to Smith.

 

[ChrisPozz]

York on Smith: 'It's up to him'

 

[DoobieKeebler]

This is the sort of time where I truly wish Alex Smith had a twitter account.

 

[luckyluke22]

I'm not too worried. SF is the best opportunity for Smith.

And if he doesn't come back, he'll be missed, until late April and the draft, then he'll be an afterthought.

 

[luckyluke22]

I'm with the take it or leave it crowd, I felt that the 49ers needed Smith last year because of the lack of a real offseason... and I didn't want CK to start as a rookie. But the team doesn't need him this year and may even improve if CK hits the ground running in his 2nd season.

I could see CK being on par with Alex last year. He'll definitely throw more INTs but he could also throw for more yds and TDs. I feel his ceiling is higher but he has to move down the learning curve, which will include a few setbacks

 

[Flyingiguana]

This is the sort of time where I truly wish Alex Smith had a twitter account.

ya what's up with these neanderthals who dont have a twitter account.

 

[TobyTyler]

What an embarrassment this is for Smith. His weak attempt to try and leverage the 49ers with his trip to Miami was a joke. And then to top it off, they choose broke down, old man David Garrard over him? Geez, you know ou suck if a team picks Garrard over you. Smith now has to come crawling back to SF just like he did last year when he got no offers. No other free agents ae out htere though that would do a better job than Smith in SF so we move on with him.

 

[TobyTyler]

Peter King:

"Great line by @JasonColeYahoo. Called Alex Smith "the NFL's version of Charlie Brown.''

That is spot on.

 

[TobyTyler]

I think it's more about this being the first time Alex has been a free agent. Why not take advantage and see what free agency has to offer. Unfortunately for him, he's competing with Manning, so of course he takes a back seat to that circus carousel.
He also sees his value in regards to Flynns contract. So my bet is he takes SF offer unles MIA goes way overboard.

I don't think it took too much smarts on their part to know that Smith would not approach anything like this offer. I don't give them much credit for this. This was a no brainer. There was zero danger of him signing anywhere else and even if he did its not that big of a loss.

 

[JPurthe1]

Peter King:

"Great line by @JasonColeYahoo. Called Alex Smith "the NFL's version of Charlie Brown.''

Definitely spot on!!!

I get no respect. The way my luck is running, if I was a politician I would be honest.
Rodney Dangerfield

One of these guys looks like Alex in a younger time...

 

[MHSL82]

What an embarrassment this is for Smith. His weak attempt to try and leverage the 49ers with his trip to Miami was a joke. And then to top it off, they choose broke down, old man David Garrard over him? Geez, you know ou suck if a team picks Garrard over you. Smith now has to come crawling back to SF just like he did last year when he got no offers. No other free agents ae out there though that would do a better job than Smith in SF so we move on with him.

C'mon, Toby - This trip to Miami was BEFORE Manning decided. He started Monday's talks BEFORE Manning told the Niners. What was he supposed to do if Manning was coming? Wait until Garrard or Flynn signed before going to Miami? He told Miami that he would only sign with them if Manning went to SF. I think that was dumb, but it shows this wasn't a leverage play. Who knows whether Miami would have pursued him further if it wasn't apparent he was set to come back? Like you said, no one would pick Garrard voluntarily, Smith would have received something.

Crawling back in 2011? That's some revisionist history going on there. Alex was pursued against lockout rules by Harbaugh. Alex committed before people could make any inquiries on him. It's been widely reported that Seattle was interested in him last year and this year.

I get that Smith is limited. I get that Manning is better. What is with everyone coming out of the woodwork, including Iguana for awhile, against Smith... for working out with Miami when Manning was still deciding? Some people expect Smith to not look out for himself. And if he came back and signed right now, we'd get more "crawling back to SF" BS comments. Have some respect for a hard worker who didn't sign because SF's deal was illusory in part. 10 million guaranteed? That's less per year than last year (though I know shorter deals are higher).

He can't win because if he signed early, people would say he caved to a deal that was clearly Kaep-friendly. Where's that confidence? He negotiates upon his experienced agents' recommendation, which may still work out BTW despite York's comments, and he's wrong here? I think he'll sign and should sign now that all teams have a QB, but I'm not going to blame him for his actions so far. Maybe I will if he goes to Cleveland, especially since it would be for less, with even less chance of keeping the starting job. Win a SB in 2012-13, hello starting job through the rest of the contract, most likely. Just sign and play.

 

[MHSL82]

I don't think it took too much smarts on their part to know that Smith would not approach anything like this offer. I don't give them much credit for this. This was a no brainer. There was zero danger of him signing anywhere else and even if he did its not that big of a loss.

He would have matched the offer for the lowly Dolphins, no way he'd sign. But this was before Manning's decision, so I don't see it as a leverage play. Alex knows he doesn't have any because Seattle (before), Miami (then) and Cleveland are bad places for him. He's not that dumb.

 

[MHSL82]

I could see CK being on par with Alex last year. He'll definitely throw more INTs but he could also throw for more yds and TDs. I feel his ceiling is higher but he has to move down the learning curve, which will include a few setbacks

Alex will also throw more yards and TDs in 2012, likely more than Kaep. If Kaep's first year is 2013, it'll be better than a hypothetical 2012 first year. Of course, 2013 will be better as a second year if this is his first.

 

[MHSL82]

If the offer wasn't already on the low side, I would do the same; either pull or lower the offer. It's my understanding that Smith could have prevented this Manning fiasco by simply signing the tender when it was presented to him. He chose not to and consequently opened to door for us to pursue/inquire about Manning.

The deal was so Kaep-friendly (it's all about the guaranteed or escalators, not the 24) and the Niners were not in the Manning race at that point. Alex knew what the contract was saying about the Niners feeling on him, unlikely that he could change those perception before the season, but he knew they needed him now more than later, I guess. If we had been wishy-washy about Smith in the press, I think he'd have signed. His agent did what was smart at the time because most teams negotiate (I know the Niner's don't much).

 

[MHSL82]

Alex Smith - QB - 49ers NFL Network's Jason La Canfora reports that the 49ers' offer of $24 million over three years to free agent Alex Smith remains on the table.
The proposal has not been "lowered or revoked." La Canfora also reports that team sources are "confident" Smith will re-sign with San Francisco. Smith's visit and flirtation with the Dolphins are reportedly being viewed as "a play for leverage" by NFL insiders. In other words, Miami might have to offer significantly more than $8 million per season in order to land Smith.

I don't get this. He visited BEFORE Manning decided, was he supposed to call everything off once the news broke? While you're there anyway? Condon knew on Monday morning or Sunday night, he would not be negatively affected if Miami offered. I think all Alex is doing is what he did before, saying he's worth more to this franchise than they are saying (obviously not more to other teams) not in overall money, but in commitment and not secretly courting Manning. Do it in the open.

 

[MHSL82]

Dear Alex:
Is this real? Do you really want to act like a resentful, whiny little bitch just because anyone with a brain understands that Peyton is a better QB than you? Look, Alex, I like you as a person, but it is decision time. Either you can continue to cry like a little girl and sign as a BACKUP somewhere else, or you can man the f*** up, come back to SF, and show everyone you are worth the $24 million Baalke has offered you. I mean, you already made $40 million off your last contract. Do you really need more? If the problem is that you feel you can't trust the Front Office then take a 1 year deal and see if you can find a better market for your services next offseason, but you won't find a starting job elsewhere this season because you've wasted time having your thumbs up your *** expecting the Niners to fall all over you because you had 1 good season. Get over yourself. If you deserve it, job security will come in time. Come back and prove to us that this isn't another fluke like 2007, or get lost so we can see what we have with CK.

Either way, stop with this childish "-sniffle- You huurt mah fee-wings" bull crap.

Sincerely,
A fan

It was about the secrecy, I guess, because he's reportedly ok with the pursuit of Manning because of who Manning is and who Alex is (Charlie Brown).

Do you really think it's about money more than job security (not wanting it to be Kaep-friendly)? I agree he needs to sign it and prove it, but why say this unless you really believe it? Alex is no angel, everyone wants money, but as you said, he has plenty and hasn't ever shown that it was about that.

I think not having his thumb up his *** would look fake, plus look like it was about money (not football opportunity), almost bad faith/disloyalty despite being well within his rights. This wasn't supposed to be dramatic and he negotiated like everyone else does. Why does he get the venom when the deal was clearly on the low side?

People are seriously taking the sting of Manning's decision off on Alex. Venting, I guess.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

[YOUTUBE]JxdfkAHu-Ao[/YOUTUBE]

 

[MHSL82]

Souce: Smith is indeed upset over lack of loyalty by 49ers

I don't want to dismiss Smith's feelings because he's human and probably any of us would feel the same in his shoes.

But cmon man, it's the NFL and you know it's a cold hearted business were winning and performance take center stage.

It's not like they were going after a marginal QB like Henne, Quinn, Orton, or Campbell. They were going for a 1st ballot HOF and one of the greatest QBs of all time.

Not to mention you've had a fair offer on the table for a while now and you didn't sign it so it's your own fault for not signing it and leaving a door open for the team to look elsewhere. Ok so it's not as much as Sanchez or Fitz got but it's still more than a fair deal because it's not like you lit it up out there or anything.

It's nothing personal, just business so sign the offer that's on the table and move on like nothing's happened. Come out with a vengeance and prove them wrong on the field.

Almost everything that stinks about life is foreseeable as the team going for other QBs, it doesn't make them that easy to shrug off. "It's a business. Ok, I don't feel bad anymore." He won a lot but less than Manning in 2011 - yes, it was the defense but it stands for something when most expected him to waste the defense in the regulr season.

Plus, it has been reported that he's ok with the pursuit, just not the secrecy, so he fully understands that it's a business and Manning is better.

Fair is subjective and it's been reported that it's low and Kaep-friendly. There's a difference between fair and only choice, but I do think he hasn't warranted too much. But it wasn't too much and even less guaranteed. We weren't in the Manning race before so it was understandable to negotiate we're not in it now so it makes a little sense, until now every team has someone. Sign it, prove it.