where could Alex Smith go?

[maniax]

Ok there are 4 hot QBs this offseason, suppose they land here:

Indy -> Luck
Browns -> RGIII
Miami -> Peyton
Redskins -> Flynn

If Alex becomes a free agent, where would he go other than the 49ers?
Seahawks?

Would the Seahawks view Alex as a big upgrade over Jackson or Whitehurst?

Would the Redskins want Alex more than Flynn or Rex Grossman? Flynn you could also probably get cheaper because he's only had a couple of big games. You might be able to sign Flynn for $4M/year or so.

I don't really think Alex would have that many options except to come back to the 49ers for a big time "hometown" discount.

 

[shouldakepowens]

He will go to Washington when 9ers sign manning

 

[NinerSickness]

He will go to Washington when 9ers sign manning

 

[deep9er]

if i'm Alex Smith and the 49ers "low ball" me, i'd leave just to leave the 49ers. doesn't matter where, if i don't start, what system, what coach, etc..

so depends on how big is "big time hometown discount"? don't see why he won't give a discount as is?

 

[maniax]

if i'm Alex Smith and the 49ers "low ball" me, i'd leave just to leave the 49ers. doesn't matter where, if i don't start, what system, what coach, etc..

so depends on how big is "big time hometown discount"? don't see why he won't give a discount as is?

He would give us a discount because this may be the only place he is going to be the starter from day 1 (also maybe he likes being Harbaugh's caddy? )

If he goes to Washington, he may have to take $2-3M/year and be told he can "compete" with Grossman for the starting job but Grossman would have the leg up because he's been in the system for a year with Shanahan.

Same with Seattle. He could be "competing" for the starting job but Tavaris Jackson again would have the leg up.

He'd have to clearly beat someone out whereever he goes, and I'm not sure if he can do it so easily.

I think the free agent market for Alex Smith would be slow, and as time went on he'd have to take a lesser offer anyways and he'd be somewhere "competing" for the starting job.

 

[shouldakepowens]

I don't see Grossman having a leg up on anyone

 

[clyde_carbon]

I don't see Grossman having a leg up on anyone

Sexy Rexy disagrees.

 

[Crimsoncrew]

Sexy Rexy disagrees.

Wow. The look on his face is just priceless.

 

[maniax]

Ok so apart from the homo pictures, if you were running an NFL team, you would be excited to bring in Alex Smith as your starting QB, even though he's had 6 mediocre seasons followed by 1 good season in which he played conservative still most of the time?

To me, Luck, RGIII, and Peyton are much sexier free agents (even if they refuse to get down on their hands and knees )

I'd even consider Flynn over Alex Smith because Flynn might come cheaper. Look at Kolb last year he was the "hot" free agent QB and Arizona got robbed and now they are stuck with him and they are going to make it a competition between Kevin "$10M" Kolb and John "$500K" Skeleton.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

A team would clearly go with Alex over Rex. Alex is younger and Rex is an INT machine. I don't even understand why this is up for debate.

 

[Ray_Dogg]

Wow. The look on his face is just priceless.

Looks like he is enjoying it.

 

[numone9er]

A team would clearly go with Alex over Rex. Alex is younger and Rex is an INT machine. I don't even understand why this is up for debate.

Steve Young said Rex was going to be a top 10 QB by the end of this past year

 

[NinerSickness]

Steve Young said Rex was going to be a top 10 QB by the end of this past year

Steve Young also said Brandon Doman was going to be great. He was one of the best at playing the position; evaluating it? Not so much.

 

[Flyingiguana]

Sexy Rexy disagrees.

that's gross man!

 

[Jikkle]

From his perspective the 49ers offer the best situation for him. He's comfortable with the coaches and the players around him and it's the only team that he's all but guaranteed to start.

Any other team would bring him in to "compete" because he's just not a sexy signing to sell to your fans. Outside (and heck even still inside it) of 49er fandom he's still considered a joke so it's not like he's going to pump up those season ticket sales if you bring him in.

This topic was briefly brought up on the NFL network and someone brought up Jacksonville as being a fit which when I think about it I tend to agree he might have some measure of success there. Jacksonville is built like a poor mans version of us so I can see Smith rely on MJD, a strong defense, and limited turnovers work out.

 

[AU_Fever]

that's gross man!

That is not a pretty sight. But to respond on this thread, Alex will sign and stay with the Niners and will lead them to the Super Bowl this upcoming season. With a full offseason with Harbaugh, he will gain more confidence running the offense.

 

[deep9er]

That is not a pretty sight. But to respond on this thread, Alex will sign and stay with the Niners and will lead them to the Super Bowl this upcoming season. With a full offseason with Harbaugh, he will gain more confidence running the offense.

he's already confident and comfortable running the offense, the question is will he get more comfortable "throwing receivers open"?

cause this likely means more INT's this season.

 

[AU_Fever]

he's already confident and comfortable running the offense, the question is will he get more comfortable "throwing receivers open"?

cause this likely means more INT's this season.

He did show more confidence as the season went on and the offense opened up more. Now he gets the opportunity to have a full offseason with the coaches. That should instill more confidence and maybe open up the playbook. It may lead to a few more picks, but it also may result in more big plays. If Smith throws 10 ints next season, but throws 30 TD"s, I can live with that. I think a full offseason will enable Smith to have a better rapport with his receivers. Having a healthy Morgan (if he resigns), Crabtree finally healthy enough to an offseason, and adding a couple of WR's will certainly benefit Smith.

 

[Badger8843]

if i'm Alex Smith and the 49ers "low ball" me, i'd leave just to leave the 49ers. doesn't matter where, if i don't start, what system, what coach, etc..

so depends on how big is "big time hometown discount"? don't see why he won't give a discount as is?

He thrived last year because of our great coach and system, he isnt going anywhere or else he will be a backup, end of story

 

[deep9er]

He did show more confidence as the season went on and the offense opened up more. Now he gets the opportunity to have a full offseason with the coaches. That should instill more confidence and maybe open up the playbook. It may lead to a few more picks, but it also may result in more big plays. If Smith throws 10 ints next season, but throws 30 TD"s, I can live with that. I think a full offseason will enable Smith to have a better rapport with his receivers. Having a healthy Morgan (if he resigns), Crabtree finally healthy enough to an offseason, and adding a couple of WR's will certainly benefit Smith.

yes there should be SOME progress based on these factors. as a team gets better, everyone on it has better stats. the question is how much progress is "some"?

ordinarily there would be quite a bit of progress but we're talking Alex Smith, the same Alex who's been in the NFL since 2005. IMO he's near his ceiling, so there's not a lot of room left.

that said, we're in a TOUGH situation at QB, so i'll take him as the stop gap. where he is now plus SOME progress is as good a stop gap we'll get.