What would you do if you were Alex Smith right now?
The Niners betrayed you, and they still won’t budge from their low-ball offer, it seems.
But you can’t get a better deal from another team in free agency. You’re out of luck.
Do you:
1. Rationalize the Peyton Manning Saga as “business” and accept the Niners three-year deal, and move on professionally.
2. Refuse to return to the Niners on principle. You are a man of integrity – you’ve demonstrated that your whole career. The Niners front office has not acted with integrity towards you this offseason. Find a team that will. I’m wealthy – it’s not about money. It’s about integrity.
If I were Smith, I’d go with option No. 2.
What would you do?
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Go with the only option, which is to sign the same contract that has been on the table before it turns into a pumpkin at midnight.
Yep. He has no leverage because one, there are no starting spots left, and two, he’s just not that great. He’s an average NFL starting QB, nothing more, and his numbers back that up. What are his options? One, sign with the Niners and compete for a starting gig; two, sign somewhere else as a backup and take a much smaller payday; or three, sit out the year.
I would love to reply to this question…. but I am still laughing hysterically at Grant’s earlier comment about Tebow being a brilliant move for the Niners…
Pretty hard to take someones opinion serious “that Niners betrayed (Smith), and they still won’t budge from their low-ball offer, it seems.” when they also think the Niners would be wise to sign Tebow.
Alex could play the waiting game and string this out until well past training camp waiting for a QB injury on another team and then sign. He would be rid of the 49ers once and for all.
@Ceedub
I am in agreement with you
I’m pretty sure they would cut the cord before then, especially when CK would have been taking reps with the first team all offseason. Sounds like a hollow threat if I ever heard one.
That would be a bad career move letting CK7 move ahead of him on the depth chart. He could end up being the next Willie Pip.
Let me think,how many million am I being offered and how many other teams are offering…anything, and my team courted a HOF QB while I was unsigned but they are not getting him and the offer is still on the table with an invitation to sign.What what I do?
Hey Grant,
You’re very welcome for the suggestion of the blog question on Alex Smith. Very happy I could make a contribution! I’d expect 1000 hits!
It figures this dumb post came from you…lol.
Thanks, Your Airness.
Their you go Grant coming from GM 23jordan sounds okay. His a genius !
Ya know at first I thought Grant’s intentions were to just stir up the Bloggers here to get a High number of Posts.
But after the last few articles….
K-Gun should start? (he’s not ready anytime soon)
Jimbo getting a failing grade? (you mean the same guy that saved Alex’s career?)
Why the 49ers should get Tebow? (WHAT!)
Grant needs to get Medical Attention ASAP.
We heard it time and time again…its a business, and leaving a 24 million contract on the table vs possibly coaching high school is not a good business decision. Besides it isn’t just about Smith swallowing his pride for his own best interests, but the best interests of his charity kids as well.
Option 2 pretty much guarantees his career as a starting QB is over, so if he’s smart he won’t even have that as a consideration.
If I were him, I’d ask for a one year deal and let the chips fall where they may. If he is confident that he can build on what he did last year, and believes he is worthy of a bigger deal, prove it and force them to give you a bigger contract next year.
Failing that, the only option he has is to sign the deal on the table, play his ass off, and try to renegotiate if he outplays it.
I agree. Some might think it foolish to leave money on the table, but a 1 year deal achieves the integrity goal IMHO. It would also inspire me (if I were Alex) to play my ass off to prove them wrong. Its a great way to go from demoralized to motivated with a chip on your shoulder. I’d sign a one-year deal for $8MM with an injury insurance clause or policy and set out to prove the 49ers wrong.
Agree 100% finally someone who’s actually thoughtful enough in analyzing the current situation to contribute in this blog!
I’d chose option 3.
Quit the NFL and start a High Frequency Trading app built on $StockTwits Twitter API, sell it to Yahoo, and buy an NBA franchise.
And not ever walk out on the floor at halftime with a mic in my hand.
“Now that that’s over with.” Lol.
Option 3 – Niners get their heads out of their ass and give him a “fair” deal right now. It’s a slap in the face that Flynn has a better deal after 2 games. 3 year deal worth $9.5 a year… if CK7 outplays him then so be it. It def won’t kill their Cap and Alex could move on with integrity.
So the Niners should over pay because other teams have? I’m not buying that, especially when Smith stated publicly that he was happy with the deal and they were just working out the details.
I actually like the one year $10mil deal. He plays out of his mind hopefully and then moves on while the keys are handed to Ck7
Bravo BigP…
BB,
I agree with the one year deal. I said that a few weeks back because he doesn’t have any leverage. If he wants leverage, play on a one year deal and ball like a Pro Bowler. I think Smith needs to stop playing the victim card when he just said he was happy with the three year deal presented to him. The guy isn’t very good at playing the leverage game.
“…and they were just working out the details.”
Yeah, he didn’t realize the details included Peyton Manning. :P
He has leverage. As one of the reporters noted, the drop off from Smith to CK could be enormous.
They’ll start CK if they have to but they’re not stupid. They got right to the door last season with the crew they have.
His agent should have read the fine print about Manning…..wait a minute.. ;P
Adam,
Nobody knows if there would be any drop off from Alex to CK, especially a reporter.
Adam, no one knows how much of a dropoff there will be from AS to CK, especially YOU.
“especially YOU”
Read.
I didn’t say that was my opinion, there are a few “professional” opinions (yes, from writers) out there that state that. I believe it was one of the two Matts, I’ll look after lunch.
Don’t shoot the messenger, Kitty.
So whats your point Adam, since when do reporters know anything about football?
Colleen Dominguez of ESPN was reporting on the situation last night from Santa Clara and said that one player she spoke with was concerned, saying “We don’t have a QB right now.”…not exactly a ringing endorsement of the two backups on the roster.
“So whats your point Adam, since when do reporters know anything about football?”
I would say some do and some don’t football. If you’re a professional sports reporter you’re either good and you’re recognized as being good or you’re not.
I would say the people covering the Niners, including Grant and his dad and really all of them, including Barrows in Sacramento are all pretty darned good.
We’re actually lucky to have them. We’re lucky we have this thing here to spout off on, too. Just my opinion.
I agree, he stated that his fine with the contract on the table. But after niners had showed Alex lack of loyalty, his putting the price alittle bit higher for compensation for the heart ache, pain and suffering he indure, during the manning soap opera. Its just bussiness nothing personal. lol
Benny: you have no idea how Flynn will play or if he will win the starting job.He was the back up to Rodgers at Greenbay ,which was a very good team. Smith has had one good year out of seven, He should take what is offered by the Niners . Suck it up you are not a little boy any more. No one else is going to pay you big numbers. One good year doesn’t make you a great QB.
The deal they offered a 7-year hack and a first-pick bust is MORE than fair. The 49ers clearly don’t think they need him and have communicated that. They have a price they’ve chosen for every player. The player can take the offer or not.
Alex hit his ceiling in 2011. Everyone but Alex knows it. His agent is doing him no favors by keeping him from signing.
+1
All the arguments here are valid. If I’m Alex, it’s clear that the selfish decisision also happens to be best decision for all involved: Stay in SF. Going to a new system anywhere else nets him nothing. If JH is going to restore Alex’s faith in him, he should push for a match of Flynn’s contract. If Alex can’t get that, I completely agree with 1 year, 10M and guarantees. SF is his best opportunity to make his market value go up.
As for CK, sure no one knows positively if there will be a drop off from Alex to CK, but the 49ers know better than anyone else what that drop off could look like and how they could pay for it for another decade. Look no further than Alex himself. The 49ers know first hand about ruining a QB. In ditching Alex for CK too soon, they risk revisiting the last decade.
^know*
Just because Seattle is overpaying doesn’t mean we have to. I believe JH & TB like CK7 a lot and wouldn’t mind starting him. They are managing the cap well. We have talent at every position except the big one QB. I trust they have a plan & know what they are doing. If they have no confidence in CK7 or Tolzien then they would be bending over for AS.
or 3. Fire lame-o agent who doesn’t have his interest at heart. Renegotiate a one year deal with the Niners. Play the **** out of this season. Rinse and repeat this process after winning the Superbowl and much better stats after a year of real offseason and training camp.
That sounds like a viable option
Ribico
You’re assuming that:
1. Alex remains injury free and plays lights out
2. Alex has that much confidence in his abilities to even consider that option
He was injury free and played very well (all things considered) this last season.
I would do just what Rib says. Go one year, for as much as you can squeeze out of Jed, hope it goes well and then bail on these bozos.
Bozos? Are you a fan of the team?
The helmet tells you all you need to know.
Team, yes.
What these people are doing sneaking around and talking out of both sides? Nope, not a fan of that at all.
They offered him a contract that they thought was in line with his play. The contract has been on the table for quite some time.
@nick
No. Ribico is assuming that his team wins the Super Bowl.
Is that a “bad” thing for a fan to have/feel/believe? Especially if the team just lost the closest OT Title game in memory?
Positive vibes man.
Nick, everyone knows a professional athlete develops superhuman prowess in his contract year ;)
Alex did pretty well last year considering the lack of camp, new system and dearth of wideouts. If he makes as much progress with the above taken care of this year as he did last year, he will have no trouble lining up a new contract with Niners or some other team.
+ 1 Nick
you would really not return to the niners for a potential $24M as a starter to go be a backup somewhere out of principle? i doubt it.
i think he should propose a 2 year deal with more guaranteed money. he can skyrocket his value under JH and hit the market before the age of 30. niners would bite because it gives them the chance to get to CK faster.
Now we’re talking!!! It’s a Win-Win
yeah especially since the 2 year deal provides a little more stability and takes away the added pressure of playing in a contract year again. if he plays great then they can always extend next offseason
Smith is supposed to be a “triangulator” as in Clinton-style. Put the finger in the air and see which way the wind is blowing.
If he doesn’t return here, I’ll be surprised. Most “experts” figure he’ll suck up the insults and show up.
My big fear is he’s burned out and he’ll just phone it in now. If I’m him, I’d rip these bastards for whatever I could get for a year and call it good.
@Adam
I’d rip these bastards
Which bastards are you talking about?
yeah i really think this could be the last straw. it’s like he finally believed that he was wanted only to have the team pull the rug out from under him. i don’t think he’ll ever buy back in like that again.
i think smith could be a nice fit for the browns. pretty good coaches and organization in place. could get a couple nice players the first round of the draft and have a pretty decent team.
“it’s like he finally believed that he was wanted only to have the team pull the rug out from under him.”
Right. Everyone believed that. The players were saying it, Staley said it, Vernon and Gore said it. The fans knew it (well the non-hater crowd anyway.)
Everyone saw this. Yeah, now it’s business as usual. I’d take whatever I could get and bail out at the end of the year.
the 49ers treatment of the alex smith contract situation was pretty cut-throat. saying all along that he was their guy (and who wouldn’t believe them after a 13-3 record and a near trip to the SB) so that it would look like any interest smith had in another team would look insincere. therefore teams who need QBs don’t see smith as a viable option to fill the void and look him over. 49ers go out and try to get manning and leave smith in the dust with no other fall back plans but the niners once they lose out of manning.
what’s also sad is it seems like jed york is trying to make AS look like the bad guy and the majority of fans who were just starting to believe and support AS are now upset with him again and against him. the guy just can’t catch a break!
I hope to God that Alex Smith is not taking this as personally as some of the commenters on this site.
Note: The following assumes the reports concerning the contract offer from SF (3 years, $24 Million, $10+ Million guaranteed) are accurate.
There is nothing wrong with the 49ers offering Smith a contract at less than elite QB pay. He is not an elite QB. Yet. There is nothing wrong with the 49ers not adjusting the contract in light of the Sanchez and Flynn deals. Those guys were overpaid.
Given that last year was the first year Smith enjoyed success in the NFL (the previous 6 years may not have been his fault, but they were what they were), a guaranteed $10 million and the chance to show what you can do with a second year in Harbaugh’s system doesn’t seem outrageously low.
Nor is it accurate to say that the offer was for chump change, seat warmer money or whatever dismissive term someone wants to use. The offer of an 8 figure guarantee is not something a team (especially this team) is going to make for a player it does not value. The 49ers realize that Alex Smith provides the team with its best chance of getting to and winning the Super Bowl.
There also is nothing wrong with Smith being dissatisfied with the offer and wanting more $, more guaranteed $, or whatever it is that he wanted. He elevated his play last year and won important games for the 49ers. He is the team’s best shot at getting to the Super Bowl next year. The other alternatives are speculative at best. Smith wasn’t ungrateful for declining to sign the offer as soon as he received it. He wasn’t delusional to make a counteroffer (if he did).
The 49ers weren’t wrong to go after Manning. If healthy, he is one of the 5 best QBs in the league. It arguably would have been irresponsible not to investigate the possibility of signing him. Everybody should understand that.
And Smith does. I don’t know why everyone thinks that Smith is hurt/insulted/annoyed by the 49ers’ interest in Manning. According to Kevin Lynch, Smith is not upset that the 49ers took a look at Manning. He merely believes it was disingenuous for the team and Condon not to tell him about it while he was negotiating with the 49ers. Apparently, he only found out about it shortly before the media did.
And, really, that’s the only thing that troubles me. Why not be upfront with the guy and tell him that they had to do their due diligence on Manning? Smith is a smart guy. He would have understood. Depending upon the actual facts, doing it the way they did probably cost Harbaugh and/or Baalke some equity/trust in the locker room. How much remains to be seen.
As for what Smith should do, he should make his case for more money, but if SF doesn’t budge, sign the deal or counter with something like MCPx3′s idea. Either way, come back to SF, get deeper into the offense, build on last year, take the team back to the playoffs and try to contend for a Super Bowl. It’s his best chance to remove the doubt that last year was a fluke and to make the case for more money in the future. It’s also the way to pocket $10 million. It’s just the smart thing to do.
To walk away from $10 million and his best opportunity to showcase himself for the future out of some misplaced sense of “pride” strikes me as a fairly immature response. I don’t think Alex Smith is immature. Not after the 7 years he has been through.
Now, let’s go check the news to see what story broke revealing all of the foregoing blabber to be misinformed and/or obsolete.
I’d do what’s best for my family and career; stay in San Francisco.
I’d go back to the 49ers, pick up where I left off from last season, treat the season like its do or die. Then, if I dominate and put up monster stats and make another deep run in the playoffs, I hold out and DEMAND a real contract.
Htes,
I think in Smith’s mind he actually thinks he did that. I think Smith bought in and believed the hype / lies.
Harbaugh at one point this season told the Media that Smith wasn’t being judged by production. LIE
Told Smith he was Elite. Lie
Told the Media Smith was a Probowl QB. LIE
Told Smith and the media Smith was the long term QB. Lie
Smith was then rewarded with a two year guarantee for less all free agent signing QB’s that are starters. Less than Sanchez and Flynn and Fitzpatrick. This is why I believe Smith is a seat warmer. At least it’s what his contract says. And he doesn’t like it. He has enough money to walk away. If he comes back it tells me he doesn’t have much pride, probably the same time of fire he lacks during most of the games until his team gets down….
Perhaps JH meant some of those things, but Baalke doesn’t
Of course he doesnt believe alex is elite or pro bowl worthy its coach speak he is building up his guys like coaches always do. He probably busted up laughing privately after he said it. If he thought he was elite he would have offered him elite money.
I for one as a 49ER FAN am glad that the FO was not happy with Smith’s production last year.
I was left scratching my head most of the season last year when the coaches and FO would defend the offensive production.
There’s just too many variables for me to call the things Harbaugh said outright lies. The 49ers were winning and the fire was burning bright and him not praising Smith during the season is kind of like throwing water on the fire. He has to say those things to keep the fire burning. When you’re dealing with someone whose confidence has been destroyed you have to praise even the slightest improvement.
To me Smith should’ve expected this all along. Jed and Baalke would’ve cut Smith last season if it wasn’t for the lockout and remember they went after Hasslebeck too. If MH signs you can bet they release him then. So, to add to my previous post, the best chance Alex has is to come back to the 49ers, continue to improve and show the league he can put up solid numbers then if the 49ers keep offering him mediocre numbers more teams will show an interest and he’ll be more likely to sign a decent offer to another team. I’m curious to see how Smith performs with an offseason under his belt and some quality healthy receivers to throw to for a season.
You know in this whole scenario I’d ask two questions: Was this contract a Jed/Baalke decision or a Jed/Baalke/Harbaugh decision? Did Tom Condon tell Smith not to sign the contract?
All he did was do what he was asked. Manage a run-first team with no real receiver talent.
Then he’s asked to turn it on in some of these games and he does that too. Right? I mean you guys were all on the floor with that Saints game.
I don’t know what else anyone would want from the guy.
I don’t know if Moss will be much of a factor but I expect Manningham instantly goes from #3 in New York to at least #2 here and should get some action. If we go after Wallace (and get him) then we can talk “air yards” as the advanced stats guy calls it.
@Adam
You make a good point. When Alex was allowed to let it rip, he played well (for the most part). However, he still needs to improve his consistency, field vision, accuracy, and confidence (I mean, act like a bad as$ and take charge).
I call BS on that Adam. Smith isn’t good enough to turn it on when asked. IMO he didn’t always play with urgency until he had to. Sometimes it worked ie. N.O., and sometimes it didn’t like against the Giants in the NFC Championship or against the Cardinals in Phoenix.
In fact poor play almost cost him a game against the worst team the Rams.
Bottom line, no excuses. And Smith now knows there are no Alexcuses. Numbers are what they are and if they continue to be league worst production he won’t be here. And that is why his contract offer is so low. It’s based on his production…..
And that is also why there is no interest in him around the league. He’s viewed as a guy that can’t produce….
“(I mean, act like a bad as$ and take charge).”
No. There are enough of those people here. And they don’t take charge of anything anyway. But they certainly qualify as valid candidates for the rest of the sentence in ().
@Bay
You know if it were possible I would take a truckload of dynamite and blow all name puns to Smithereens
He can hold out now. Why wait?
Because he doesn’t really have much leverage now, no teams are showing much interest in him and the 49ers are probably willing to let him walk.
Alex, show some integrity, make like a tree, and get outta here! (You’re a nice guy, but seriously).
Lol great line. Biff.
Yeah I agree but in a league without integrity? That starts to look more like the unemployment line.
Looks like option 3 is the fan’s choice. Alex, hire us as your collective agent.
Actually Rocket’s idea seems very smart, although counter-intuitive, for someone that believes in their abilities. Ask for a 1 year deal for $10m, (get all that guaranteed $$ anyway), have a great yr and then shop yourself.
That’s what time Lincecum would do. It’s probably Smith’s best option.
This seems to be the most logical for both sides
I like it. I like it alot…. Put up or shut up.
But for the record, I am wondering if Smith was given the wrong message from the FO and coaching staff. All season we heard how he was running “their” system.
He was being judged on QBR and not turning it over. Judging him in those areas, he’s a top ten QB.
Now we are about to enter 2012 and they are obviously looking for more production and not confident enough in their offer to extend themselves beyond 2 guaranteed years.
Was Smith fed a line of BS, or did the FO change their expectations after the season was over because the team is ready to win now?
The leverage game:
Smith – I deserve more, you said I was elite in the press.
FO – You will get what we offer you, you said you were happy with the deal in the press.
It works both ways.
grant,
Why would the Niners give him a 1 year $ 10 million deal when that’s technically the one on the table. 3 years with a 10 mil signing bonus. If he gets benched by getting beat out by Kap, they are going to cut him next year anyway. Can’t pay a backup $8 mil a year.
If I were Alex Smith I would either take the deal because in reality this is the best place for me and the only place I know I will be the starter.
Grant, you’re right, it shouldn’t be about the money with Alex. He is still under 30, and I’m sure hw would like to continue in the NFL for another 10 years (give or take) if he can. From that perspective, Smith’s best option is to return to the 49ers, since they give him, hands down, the best opportunity to flourish and set himself up for his next contract. Again, the next contract is not about getting that next multi-million dollar payday, but about getting that next “members only” invite to the NFL Starting Quarterbacks club. If he chooses Miami (or someone else), he may very well be setting himself up to finish his career as a backup QB.
option 1. i dont see how he was betrayed. it wasnt an amazing deal but it was a safe one. he has only had 1 good season in his career and his numbers werent really amazing just solid enough to get the job done. paying him big is a big risk. we offered him a deal, he declined so we looked at other options. we never took our deal off the table. he should just come home like a good little boy, improve on the good start he had last season and maybe in the future he’ll get the deal he wants. there is obviously a reason why no other teams offered him any better deals. he’s just not worth the risk until he proves himself more.
I agree, Trent. It makes me wonder if we would have tried as hard to get Peyton if AS would have taken our offer before Peyton was on the market.
Sign the best deal I can get and be thankful I have a job and get back to work earning the contract that I think I deserve. He might want to think about all the other available free agents the niners could bring in to take hi job like Vince Young.
Montana, I think once you have over $30 million in the bank, you’re past the mindset of being “thankful I have a job”. He MIGHT want to think about avoiding a life-changing injury, and just take his gorgeous wife out to a nice dinner…maybe in Tahiti. Or Paris. Or anywhere he damn well wants.
That’s the 4th option. He could retire quite comfortably with his millions already in the bank.
Retire and start writing his memoirs about how he once was elite.
Hilarious Razor!
At the end of the day he needs to realize that this is a business. Its really only a family when it comes to your teammates. He needs to come back for the guys the went to bat for him when the whole world was begging for his head on a stick. At the end of the day the contract is reasonable and this is his only oppurtunity to be a garaunteed starter. Suck it up and try to take your brothers to the promise land. Go Niners!!!
The one year deal for $10 mil – play out of your mind and then shop yourself seems like the perfect one. We have no drop off next year and the world knows CK7 is going to be the guy.
+1
I’m curious as to what the Smith supporters on the team have to say now that the change won’t be for Manning but some tag team of CK and Tebow. I wonder if he’s talking to some of his former teammates about the situation?
Integrity has nothing to do with this… To the contrary. Alex Smith could of had this deal done way before the Manning issue even started.
The Niners were up front with Alex all along until he strung them along by not taking a good offer or at least offing negotiations to indicate an possible conclusion. He chose this drama and it is of his doing too.
Neither party is wrong. Alex needs to buck up and realize there is always someone else down the pike in the NFL to take you place. Sign while you can cus,,, Kap is waitning for the opportunity.
Telling Alex to go with option #2 is basically telling him his career as a starter is over. He would only be able to get a deal as a backup somewhere else now.
I would tell Alex that the 49ers are a very good team and he is their starter. Go and sign the contract and keep working as one.
How many teams are going after Alex? One? (Niners) Are the Niners really going after him? Could it be that no NFL Team wants him?
It’s because, for whatever reason, he waited around and didn’t shop himself until almost all the seats at the table were filled.
I’m sure he comes back now (or sits out.)
If he sits out his career as a starter is over.
and yeah matt flynn’s deal may have been premature but when he played he played amazing football. we havent said that yet about alex smith given all of his opportunities to show what he’s got. he shouldnt continue this trend of changing systems every year, look how far thats gotten him now. lol
That was against the secondaries of the Patriots and Lions. If I’m Flynn, I wouldn’t be bragging about it Trent.
SIGN! – earn his ‘elite’ status – re-do contract when he is “our guy” without question or doubt.
No offense, Grant, but anyone who would choose option #2 is a fool of the grandest magnitude.
Reminds of of Sprewell refusing a $20 million contract extension because he had to feed his family – and now is at or near bankruptcy.
Simple: insist on signing a 1 year deal for the same amount as the guaranteed part of the existing deal.
This way, he can: a. take initiative; b. mollify the haters; c. acknowledge a competition with Kaep (and embrace it); d. at the end of next year, if he has done well, he has leverage. If he has lost his job, he can move on with some dignity.
its not about integrity, it’s about winning a superbowl. alex taking less money only frees up space to sign other playmakers
Option 1 all the way.
Go with option #2. Get this wasteoid off the niners. Last in redzone last in 3rd down conversions 29th passing offense. yea dude you dont deserve squat and the niners brass knows it
And it’s his fault the WR corps had a case of the dropsies as well right? Then it must be his fault for the play calls as well. And while we’re at it, let’s blame him for Williams’ rookie mistakes in the playoffs. There is a lot of reasons for those stats, and they all don’t involve just Smith Crom.
Let me tell you something about mr williams. From what i remember he was streaking down the seam wide open in the nfc championship and smith over threw him by 10 yards. That was the game winner. Ohh well DSS=DONT SIGN SMITH!
Actually Crom, if Williams did not make the mistake of allowing his body to touch the ball in regulation then the Niners would have still led at that point. It isn’t only Smith’s fault the Niners weren’t Super Bowl Champs after the completion of the season.
I agree but he is one of the reasons we were watching the giants in the super bowl and not us. He is our handicap. why cant you accept that. All we need it a middle of the pack passer, doesnt need to be elite. 16th rank passing offense and we will be stomping teams out. Not bottom of the barrel passing offense. We were up 17-0 against the saints we should have steam rolled them but smith doesnt have the killer instinct and let brees and co make it much closer than it should have been.
That was the defense’s fault as well against the Saints. Smith had a good year despite no offseason and a new coaching staff. He was part of the reason the team made it as far as they did. I say roll the five with Smith. If it doesn’t work out, then CK will take his place. Smith does give the Niners the best option at QB until CK is ready.
MidWestNiner what is comes down to is command of the game, Smith does not have that. The defense and special teams gave the Niners a huge advantage in games. Ackers breaking the FG record in a season was no fluke it was because of field position and because Smith couldn’t deliver the ball to the endzone. If Smith wants to comeback I say you make him earn his job back, maybe bring in another Vet like Leinart to fight for QB1.
Smith put himself in this situation and would be dumb not to sign. The Niners provide the best opportunity to prove last year was no fluke and to get better under Harbaugh with his second straight season in the same system.
WR drops and play calling also played a role as well. Plus Harbaugh has stated before that nobody is guaranteed a starting position.
disagree I dont think he even belongs in the league. Like i said before miami and seattle were the only ones willing to talk to him. I think matt moore is better than him anyways. They choose garrard that is loltastic. He has no market value, 10 mill guar is too much.
This guy is like a curse that we cant shake. No ONE WANTS THIS scrub. WHY DO WE??? PLEASE GRANT TELL ME WHY?? I MEAN HES NOT EVEN GOOD ENOUGH FOR Miami?
I would take option 1 if they are willing to add another year. The amount of money doesn’t matter to me. I just want proof that you believe I am the long-term answer. This would still allow you to go with CK if it doesn’t work out. Oh yeah, AND MAKE SURE CRABTREE ATTENDS TRAINING CAMP SO THAT HE AND I CAN DEVELOP A RAPPORT ALREADY!!!
Ok. I’m through channeling my inner Alex Smith. But this would be the best option for him.
personally i don’t get why he got emotional if he already knows this is a matter of business also he has to realize comparing to manning, smith is far away to be considered a top ten QB.
Niners had intention to keep before FA started and they give him an offer according to his true value and they weren’t gonna overpay just because bills and jets did.
Bottomline is Niners will move forward to their project with or without Alex.
Alex… if you had signed the offer earlier, instead of listening to Condon ..
none of this soap opera would have taken place !
So… now that you have no more options… just
sign, already !! :-)
Sign the 3 year $24mil they offered me, the go win the Super Bowl!!! THEN try and ask for the big buck$$
If I were Alex Smith……
Since I have a family on the West Coast and prefer to stay, I’d sign with the San Jose Saber Cats. That league’s offense will benefit me. I’m already a millionaire so who cares about the pay decrease. If another team in the NFL wants to sign me later on, so be it.
Sign the deal and hope you play lights out in order to get a good contract in the future. I do like AS but to get paid and good deals you have to perform. Last year was good but not near enough to command anything more then what they are offering. Oh by the way dont want to hear anything more about hurt feelings. Its a business get over it.
Sign the contract. Win a super bowl (or two)…then retire and go be an offensive coordinator somewhere.
Smith’s 2011 Highlights
Season 13-3, 1-1 Playoffs
Tossed 5 picks all year
Best statistical year of his career
Threw the game winner against Detroit(5-0)
Beat the Eagles on the road(favorite for the Super Bowl)
Beat Eli in the regular season
Led TWO fourth quarter comebacks against the Saints in the playoffs
Nearly beat Eli(again) in NFC Championship game
If anyone(supporter or not) said Smith would have this type of year they are lying. He showed obvious improvement in this system and it seems odd that he would still be in a position to be questioned about whether or not he can get it done.
My logical brain says stay because of the improvements personal and at wide receiver, have an even better year in 2012 and hold out for a better/extended contract in 2013. (that may result in a trade, but just saying)
My heart says “take this job and shove it” at this point what else do I have to do for even a micron of loyalty. The contract was low ball, Matt Flynn, with 1 start, got a better deal.
Grudge,
Alex may have put the team on his shoulders on maybe 4-5 of those games. Let’s not get so extreme with Alex that we completely ignore the ‘light-out’ work of our Defense and ST.
My contention is that a number of NFL QB’ could have done what Alex did. And appearently, the Org feels the same way.
No ‘swipe’ at what Alex accomplished, just being realistic about the system that laid the foundation for him to succeed.
That’s a fair assessment. The question is could he have done more if they asked him to? He thinks yes!
Yes he had a good year (1 for 7)… I am not an Alex Hater and don’t think highly of Crabtree, but he has a point. Good QBs throw their receiver open! Back shoulder passes and passes of that nature are just not a part of Alex’s repertoire. What he has to do is win a Superbowl because outside of that there is nothing he can do to erase the 7 years of bad memories! His ceiling is just not as high as Kaepernick’s… The front office obviously feels the same!
IF i was alex smith i would do option#3 retire no one in the league thinks you are worth anything. If i was the niners I would see no one is interested and lower the low ball offer to 750,000 a year with no signing bonus. To me that still to much for a waste of space. Lets just move on from this guy. I mean who in the hell sucks at any job for 6 years and gets to stay on ??
Someone who has always had an inconsistent OL, a horrible WR corps, a consistent turnover at the OC position, and coaches who never really cared about the QB position. No QB could thrive in that environment. You’re just kidding yourself if you believe otherwise Crom.
Well he had a GOD OF A COACH THIS LAST Year. He still managed 17 tds in 16 games. Winners make things happen. He doesnt have good football instincts. He doesnt feel pressure. he doesnt know how to get rid of the ball without getting sacked. Qbs make there receivers. You think wes welker would be good with the niners LOL @ you. If we have calvin johnson it wouldnt matter cus your qb throws it at his feet or 10 feet over his head. He doesnt know how to look past the sticks on 3rd down. Hes the dump off king. I CAST HIM OUT OF NINER VALHALLA AND LAUGH AT HIM
I’ll let you live in your I HATE ALEX SMITH universe Crom and I’ll stick with the facts.
Just listed plenty of facts. Heres another one 2 300 yard games in 7 seasons. 58 tds in 7 years brees almost does that in one season. Hes not good. Did you grow up watching montana,young, garcia?? I did those are excellent qbs. Sorry I expect more from my qb that bantha fodder they call smith. he is the anti walsh. How can you be a number 1 overall pick and be this unproductive and still be in the league?? Yes I do hate alex smith. Join the site on FB its one of the greatest 700 strong and counting!!
I listed facts too From. If you can find one QB besides Smith that has had the same problems and still excelled, then your hate will have some merit. But last time I checked, no QB who went #1 and excelled has ever played in the situation that Smith was asked to play in from 2005-2010.
Crom, not From.
Peyton Manning, troy aikman, Sam bradford will be good just watch hes going through the carousel. Just to name a few. These guys made there coaches. Smith is a coach killer. He had great coordinators. His rookie year he had McCarthy Sb winning coach. He threw 1 td 11 ints. I knew we were doomed from then on. The only TD he threw was the last game of the year. He had Norv Turner, and even Mike Martz. The guy couldnt succeed. Inaccurate no vision stares down receivers. Answer me this have you ever seen smith look off a saftey? I havent. What about a 400 yard game never in a million years
Option # 2!! Are you serious!!! That’s not an option that will benefit Alex Smith! Set aside the hurt ego and pride, forgive the front office for practicing business and move forward with the only team that you can start for and be successful! Your only other option just signed Garrard and you will be in competition and not guarrenteed a starting position. Kiss and make up and lets get to the super bowl!! I dont think that Niner fans realized what a bullet we dodged by not getting Manning, 95 million over 5 years and all it will take is one good pop and he’s done. The last 100 million dollar man’s name was Albert Haynesworth and what team is he playing for right now? Just sayin!!
I would have signed the deal the day they offered it to me. It’s only a 3 year deal and it isn’t super low-balled. If I play better than I did last year for the life of the contract I will only be 30 when it’s over and in line for one more big contract. I tried to tease the line and get more money and it didn’t work. Now it’s time to sign and to work with the best receiving corp I have had my entire career. These guys can help me get another long term deal worth a lot more money.
Either I do that or retire. There is no other place I can go to get money and a starting job. So, should I sign the deal and play or should I retire and cry and mope? I should just sign it.
So I guess that means option #1 over and over again
If Alex had a similar offer from another team, I would take it. If that is not the case, I would just make them wait. All of the better QB are already selected, let them stay in limbo. Maybe I sign just before the draft, or if I am really risky, I can wait until preseason/early season and wait for a QB to get injured and then sign to the desperate team trying to salvage their season.
This is the option I would take…
Grant–
You are kidding right? You’ve already stated that you want CK to start, is this your way of trying to get Alex to step aside. You should be careful for what you wish. I think you will find the Kaep is not ready and that we need Smith more than you will readily admit or understand.
CT,
I think you’re assuming Grant wants the Niners to win. Unsupported assumption.
Im getting sick and tired of refreshing 49erswebzone in hopes of a new headline reading Alex Smith signs contract. That would put an end to this freak show. Alex is our only option and as he should be. He single handedly won the Saints game and carried us to victory against the Eagles and Lions. This is Alexs team. But having said that, $8 Million a years sounds like a good deal to me.
lol… i’m tired of the refresh as well
Like Eric Davis tweeted a few days ago “@_ericdavis_: …Three years 24 mil offer is MORE THAN FAIR!”
Someone just twittered this…
@TKras any chance Colts make play for Alex Smith and trade #1, seems would be better for franchise would get a ton of picks
Could you imagine that! lol
Timetable reads like this… they offer Alex contract, he doesn’t sign seemingly because its not long enough. Don’t think he was offended at the amount, but the message sent that he isn’t long-term solution. I like Alex a lot. I think he can be even better this year, and finally shut a bunch of people up. Why doesn’t he allow his play to afford him a better, longer contract? Yes, they went after Peyton AFTER Alex didn’t sign. They would’ve been thoroughly questioned had they not. Now they’re being looked at as not showing respect because they did (or because they didn’t tell Alex, early enough, they were going to look at Peyton). Like Harbaugh has said you’re either getting better, or getting worse, you never stay the same. Maybe Alex should re-negotiate to a 1 or 2 year deal if he’s so offended, and play his butt off, and make his long-term decision then. Because if the last week was any indication, no other teams were pounding on his door (aside from Miami, and who’s haven’t they pounded, scratched and clawed on). Seattle didn’t even wait for him to show up on Friday. I think he still has upside and is better than a lot of people give him credit for. He’s shown flashes of being top-tier. He just needs to show he can be consistent with that, and unfortunately 1 good year doesn’t fully erase 6 mediocre ones.
BREAKING NEWS: Alex Smith finally resigns with the 49ers. 3-year deal(4th year option) for 24M…
Now please ask your father to interview AS and ask how the food was on the plane ride back from Miami… smh
Colt McCoy is the Alex Smith of the Cleveland Browns.
Alex Smith is a perfect replacent for Colt McCoy and could fit in well there. Instead of Crabs he’ll have Cribbs.
He should have that snake of an agent Tom Condom(n) call Mike Holmgren immediately!
As for Teebow to Niners, I doubt Baalke/Harbaugh are interested in Teebow.
Grant must have missed the last two words of Chris Mortensen’s tweet. Read the tweet again.
@arikg11: who is front runners to go after TT? >> Jax, GB, SF, Miami, Philly, Cleve, TB, all figure to consider at some level, I think.
I dont think that we can definitely say that what has taken place is a “betrayal”. If anything, I think that this ordeal has simply underscored that most teams don’t believe that Smith deserves the credit for the success of the 49ers. Otherwise, teams would be calling Smith and offering more money to Smith than the lowball offer. If it’s a lowball offer than where are the other more reasonable offers? Why hasn’t Cleveland called, why didnt the dolphins offer more?
If I were Alex Smith… I would finalize the negotiations with the 49ers and gladly sign their offer, all the while remembering that, although I’m coming off an average-to-good season, the organization made me the #1 overall selection in the 2005 draft and has stuck with me while I basically cashed my oversized paycheck for the first few years I was in the league. Yes, I could point out that my supporting cast was pretty weak, and that I had 45 different offensive coordinators and coaches over that span, however I’d also have to acknowledge that I did little to help save their jobs or give them any reason to think I had the potential to be a great, or even good NFL QB.
C’mon, it was Payton Manning, for crying out loud. Move on!
Really dude? The 49ers didn’t show “integrity” towards Alex? Like when they made him the #1 pick, gave him a ridiculously undeserved rookie contract with $35 million guaranteed, kept him on the team for FIVE sub-par seasons, while he was succumbing to injuries, performing terribly, and getting benched in favor of scrubs like J.T. O Sullivan, Trow Smith, Shaun Hill, Chris Weinke, and Cody Pickett? So now Alex has one DECENT season (not even a Pro Bowl season) and the 49ers owe him another windfall?? Are you high?
Jay – I thought you might appreciate this link. :-)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeYsTmIzjkw&ob=av2n
Damn straight Jay, Alex you aren’t going to find a better offer and if your feelings are hurt you need to leave football now. They want you back, in my mind a week was ample amount of time for Smith to take the deal. If he signed, the Peyton meeting not an issue. He forced the Niners to look elsewhere by not signing and after he flys to Miami he finds out that the Niners actually offered him a good deal. Get over your ego, your not going to get the opportunity you have with the Niners. Common Ackers broke the FG record in a season because of your in ability to get into the end zone. Honestly the Niners in my opinion have put it all on you and for the FO to consider Manning is all on you. While this was all going on then never took their offer off the table. This is a team sport and the Niners won as a team, when you start bringing home SB rings, MVPs and passing titles, then you can start demanding things. Its not your principle thats in question Alex its your ego.
Keap looks like alex did in his 1st year. He looks confused, has happy feet, and has no idea on how to read a defense. When he gets into trouble he holds the ball out like a loaf of bread. He will fumble 3 times a game at least. Keap sucks and i dont think he will ever be NFL ready. We went through our growing pains with Alex and now he’s a legitimate QB and took us to the NFC Championship game and a ST fumble away from winning a SB. Comeon Alex sign the freakin contract and lets move on. If it wasn’t for this holdup we could be talking about the draft which definately news worthy.
and you concluded this how?? The guy had 2 weeks of camp before pre season games
Youve seen 7 years of AS and maybe 2 qtrs of CK and thats your assessment? That CK will never be NFL ready? Good thing your sitting at your computer right now, while people that know what they’re doing are making the calls.
Wow 8 years of patience for a historically pathetic bust in alex smith and you write colin kaepernick off after a couple of pre season games with no off season due to a strike? You alex lovers are punks, not niner fans at all. When he’s a backup in the cfl please go with them you heavens gate cult lunatics. Kaepernick will have a FAR better career than alex smith easy.
Jason you are my hero. I really dont understand how there is any support for this guy
In two years, Smith will be out of the league if he leaves. He has to do what is best for his career, he needs to stick with Harbaugh.
Pout about #2 for awhile, then do #1, because no one else wants him. He has no choice but to eventually accept #1 – unless he wants to join TO in the other league
FreeorDie ur an a$$. Had me excited. Went back to 49erswebzone and refreshed for the 6000th time today.
sorry had to throw a curveball amongst all the “emo” going on haha. Im in the same boat with the refresh, but with twitter
i will still await the elder Cohn’s blog about Smith’s experience with the airplane food. lol All jokes aside Smith will sign. Last quote i recall from Smith he stated that it would get done, but its a long process and thats the only thing we can go on. Everything else? just speculation.
I would feed my family!!! There’s so many persons without a job and he’s wondering what he should do? Everyone says Alex Smith is such a smart QB, but I guess he’s not that smart of a person because those millions he’s getting to play the sport he “LOVES” no one will give it to him.
How about option #4: Go sign with Cleveland. They need a QB
AGREED GET THIS CURSE OUT OF SF!
Alex Smith is the nfl equivilant of herpes.
Hes worse that herpes hes the plague
Recognize that one good year (out of 7) does not make me a franchise QB. Forget about “integrity” (which is really just code for: pride, i.e., ego) and take the starting QB job with one of the best teams in the league. Seize the opportunity to play for the second consecutive year in the same playbook with the same Offensive Coodinator, plus an improved O-line and improved WRs. Go out and prove myself. Play BETTER than I did last year and show everyone that 2011 was not a fluke. Realize that “living well is the best revenge” and that if I take this team to the Super Bowl (a very real possibility) everyone will have to STFU.
Great comment. Nailed it.
Whats with all this noone else wants him crap. Alex had suitors in Miami and Seatlle. Seattle signed Matt Flynn and Miami wasnt gonna sit around and wait for Alex to re-sign with SF. We all knew and know he is gonna be a niner for the next 3 years. All the smith haters think that by saying noone else wants him that they are demeaning Smith or something. Get over it. You’ll be watching Smith take us to the SB for the next 3 years so get used to it.
yea sure we will> we arent the only ones who think he sucks. Thats why ahmed brooks is getting paid and we gave alex smith a kickers contract. He sucks and the niners know it. If there was no lock out we would have a real qb not the fill in they call smith. Harbaugh is GOD and Baalke is Jesus!!
If I were alex I would study and get my insurance license, just not good enough to play qb in the nfl and just doesn’t have the personality for it, sensitive, meek, no confidence, shoulders slouched, nothing about him says nfl qb, leader of men.
If I was Alex,
Take some pride that the only player they were trying to replace me with was a Superbowl winning future hall of famer. If didn’t work out. Move on. Come home. Become that Superbowl winning Hall of Famer.
nuff said. Unless they replace you with Jesus.
@Sly
nuff said. Unless they replace you with Jesus.
Hilarious …
Ha! Thanks Nick. Crazy week for a Niner fan.
Grant,
First you say the niners should go w/ CK if they don’t get Manning, then they should trade for Tebow, and now you’re saying that if you were Alex, you wouldn’t sign the offer on principle… seems like you’re trying really hard to rationalize Alex away.
Besides, your options present a false dichotomy: those aren’t Alex’s only possible rationale. How about he signs with the niners at fair market value (~$8M/yr, commensurate with Miami’s offer) because that’s his only remaining opportunity to start? Or because neither side has much leverage left at this point? Or because he wants to remain in the bay area? Or because it just makes sense?
I can see how you would argue that on the basis of principle he should move on, but one might also call that petty and immature–cutting off your own nose to spite your face. I’m confident that Alex will sign the niners’ current offer, or one that resembles it.
No, I’m not saying it would be the correct career move for him to sign elsewhere, just that I’d respect him. The man has plenty of money.
Grant you want him out of town, just like every other logical niner fan in there right mind who grew up watching the greats. He in purely unacceptable!!
A matter of clarification. He’s rich, not wealthy. Professional athletes are rich, the men signing their checks are wealthy.
Wow, thanks for that clarification….
You guys are putz for thinking what Grant Cohn wrote in this post is what “Alex is thinking”.
Fact – if he doesn’t re-sign, and we go 8-8 with Kaep, how will you Alex haters feel? My guess is half of you will still love the fact that he’s gone. It’s ridiculous thinking considering how well the the team performed last year.
+1
+2
+3
…+4……
+5
It would be interesting to see if families with the last name of Smith are statistically less likely to name their son Alex for fear of hindering his future by virtue of his name.
Alex.
The 49ers have paid you $55 MILLION dollars for 1 playoff win since you were taken first overall in 2005. Perhaps it’s YOU who owe the franchise a little loyalty? And come on….be honest. Who are you going to draft in fantasy football: yourself or Peyton Manning? Are you getting it yet? SIGN and FORGET. You will NEVER have this opportunity again.
Signed,
Common Sense
Grant, please explain how the 49ers “betrayed” Smith. They made him an offer; he didn’t accept it; so the 49ers looked at Manning. In the meantime, Smith discovered that the 49ers’ offer was at the market rate: as good as any other offer he could get. Are you seriously contending that the 49ers are “betraying” Smith because they won’t overpay him?
This. A betrayal would’ve been not offering anything and just letting him go.
Well said!
And there are other teams out there that Alex would play for this year. He might have to fight someone in training camp, but do you think he couldn’t win a battle in Jacksonville, Miami, Cleveland..Minnesota..Tenessee? These teams aren’t completely settled.
Worst case, someone gets hurt and he steps in again. He will be starting this year somewhere.
shut up and sign. Say thanks. Go play football.
The curse hasn’t been Alex Smith. the curse was signing Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary who knew jack about the QB position. You try playing QB with a horrible offensive line and Johnny Morton, Arnaz Battle and Rasheed Marshall as your receivers. When Alex had the coaching(Norv Turner and Jim Harbaugh) he did nothing but improve.
49erBoy: Given that he received an equal if not better contract from Miami, 49ers would be expected to at least beat their offer for continuity’s sake.
What I don’t understand about these high draft picks is that they don’t do anything worthy of the money they are paid when drafted, all of a sudden have a decent year, then want to be shown the Brinks truck. Did the team ask for a refund when you were playing like garbage? Just pretend your new contract is for the play previously and vice versa.
>> Did the team ask for a refund when you were playing like garbage?
Umm, yes. Did Smith give it? Umm, yes.
Know a little of the backstory before making ignorant comments.
he didnt refund that fat guarantee he got when he signed as a rookie and never performed
And there is precedent for that where in the sports world? Jesus, think before posting?
my point is he got paid and didnt deliver! and now he wants more. HE can kiss my Arse
@ribico
Forget crom
I betcha he would be the first in line to return a multi-million dollar check written out to him for bad work.
Yeah. Sure.
The 9ers and AS are waiting for TC to finalize the PM contract with Denv. It has slowed the process, but expect an AS contract within the next day and a half.
@Hofer
It sounds like you have some insider info. Are you related to Alex by any chance? :)
Sounds more like common sense. Alex’s agent has been pretty busy fleecing the Broncos as of late.
Ribico
I was referring to the ‘AS contract within the next day and a half’ part of the comment
1 year deal and alex smith pays the niners 24 million to ride the bench?? Still wouldnt take it, hes a curse
Hofer, The Smith signing could come even sooner than that. Sources say that Jed York, Gideon Yu and Paraag Marathe sped off from the facility about 20 minutes ago.
Maybe they were off to talk to Smith.
Hofe – Call me when AS hits the walkway at 4949. :-)
Go elsewhere Alex. The FO screwed up during the season and now. The sleaze did you wrong and did us wrong as well. They didn’t get you the weapons you needed as the season was closing (Lloyd was available, Ziegler was or could have been). They offered you one year of security and the front door after that. Go where you may be better appreciated and where you can do your job with a good OC.
Nobody wants that no confidence sensitive little biatch.
I’d rather have a good job, a lot of money, and a super bowl ring, then my integrity and a backwards baseball cap in a crappy town.
Jacksonville, Miami, Cleveland,Minnesota,Tenessee,Tampa Bay,Arizona,Dolphins, and Chiefs. Good point Phil. He has plenty of options. If he goes elsewhere we are screwed. Plain and simple.
Yeah. Plus does anybody want Moss on CK’s case for any rookie mistakes this season? Harbaugh might struggle with keeping Moss in check if Moss is unhappy. I really don’t like the idea of CK being fresh meat more Moss.
For, not more.
Take option 1. Teams like the Bills and Cardinals and probably the Seahawks severely overpaid to get their quarterbacks. The Niners simply refuse to overpay. Based on his previous 6 years of service, Alex should know very well that he hasn’t exactly earned a contract bigger than the one he’s being offered. The Niner’s have already paid him a lot money. If he, say, goes out and wins a Superbowl next year, the Niner’s might then be inclined to extend him. Until he does that or something close, the Niner’s have no reason to offer him more.
I think you’re right! Those teams skewed the QB market! Alex’s contract is probably where it should be, but guys have been so overpaid that Smith’s contract looks bad next to theirs.
Which brings this to mind. Matt Hasselbeck seems to be taking this pretty dam good. Smith should take a page outta his book. Its all business. Sign the feakin contract already.
Jacksonville wants Tebow, Chiefs already have an inconsistent QB, Arizona already overpaying QB, Tampa Bay has a young rising star that just had a bad year, Tennessee would have to release Hasselbeck whom the Niners wanted originally, Minny already invested in their QB. Nah, he doesn’t have many options.
I think Smith should say throw away the 3 year contract offer and lets do a 1 year deal. Either he proves that he is worth more or he doesnt. If he has a good year then other teams will be more interested and if he wants he can walk away from the niners or the niners can pay him like an elite qb.
Here’s a message from Kurt Warner to Alex Smith:
“I’d tell Alex Smith to go back to San Francisco. I’d tell him that when you look around the landscape of the NFL, the best situation for you to succeed is in San Francisco.”
Translation: The Niners can carry you to the playoffs (again)with their D, special teams, and coaching staff.
Translation: You have a continuity with a competent coaching staff for the very first time in your career.
Fixed it for you.
Ribico,
+1.
+2
“The Niners betrayed you” ~Grant
———–
I’d like some proof of this.
There are too many media assumptions and not enough facts in regards to the Alex Smith contract situation. No one knows exactly what’s going on but firm opinions exist anyhow. Blame Tom Condon somehow…okay. Blame the 49ers for NOT leaking information…no way. Blame Alex Smith for trying to get the best contract possible…no way. Whatever happens – it’s a business and everyone involved who isn’t a “green” media reporter or a fan gets it.
EXACTLY! Nobody really knows the truth. We could find out that the 49ers offered Manning more $$ than the Denver, or we could find out that they told him after their workout “wow we’re impressed, but we’ve got a good thing going here”. Until facts come out I’m not believing anything.
realize that i am not an elite QB, that i didn’t sign the contract given to me in the first place (by the only team that even wants me), and that as a result my team considered one of the greatest QBs of all time as a replacement, apologize for this high profile Sh!t fit im throwing, and sign a freaking contract!
there are NO other options. in fact if im the Niners, i retract the offer until Alex apologizes! this is retarded STOP POSTING ARTICLES AND THREADS ABOUT IT!
Option 2 – it worked for Carson Palmer.
First things first, if you are an UNRESTRICTED free agent, and a team makes you an offer NO ONE ELSE matches, it is NOT a lowball offer. It is market value or higher.
Second, they reportedly left the offer on the table all the way through the Peyton stuff.
Third, this is an NFC championship team which is offering you the starting job (and also where Alex has lived for several years). So defending principle means taking less money to maybe not start for a BAD team.
If you’re Alex Smith and you can’t get why your GM and coach would work out a FA hall of fame QB when you were the one dragging your heels on a contract, then that Wonderlic test was way off. This is still a team that committed to you in a year when they didnt even know they’d get you until camp, and then offered you a multi-year extension at a raise even though they have already drafted their QB of the future (which would make another 1 year deal tempting).
That’s a bunch of good faith. Alex can and should shake the team down for whatever he can get. But he’d be stupid not to come back.
But stirring the pot sure is a fun way to get blog hits, huh? How far this space has fallen since Maiocco …
He should retire while he’s still ahead before CK embarrasses him in head-to-head competition.
Sign the contract dude. Get over it, no one screwed you, it’s Peyton Manning.
TG the Niners are out of the Tebow race!!!
At least Twitter is good for something.
No $hart
@49erGirl:
Would it be wrong to Tebow as a gesture of gratitude?
Lol! No, it wouldn’t!
Manning straight money grab made over 200 mill before this contract what’s another 96? That’s a Dam shame peyton!
Here is what I posted on Matt Barrows Blog: . . .
Alex should accept the 3 year $24 mil offer, but with one additional clause: Alex gets the option to opt-out after one year. . . It’s a win-win deal. 49ers get their playoff caliber QB for a year, and at an insulting/disrespectful price, all while Kaepernick is being developed. . . . Alex gets opportunity to again work with Harbaugh, lead 49ers to playoffs, & prove to the other 31 teams that he is worth more than $8 mil/yr. . . . And for both Alex and 49ers, it’s better than Alex pulling a Carson Palmer and sitting out a year.
Sorry this is not an integrity issue. The 49ers have always said that there will always be competition at every position, every year. Alex knows this.
Alex did some very fine things for the 49ers last season, but let’s be honest. There still remain issues with his game. If there weren’t issues he would have already signed with another team.
The 49ers or any other pro team are making decisions now. He needs to make one also.
I say he takes option 1 and play his butt of and make himself an indispensible part of the offense. If (just postulating here) Smith puts up Brady/Brees like numbers, you think he’d ever have to look over his shoulder…or even worry about what happens at the end of 3 years??? If anything, if he plays like Brady or Brees next season, its the 49ers that have to worry keeping him happy.
I don’t get it!?! What does he want????? The Niners didn’t land Manning, the job’s his if he wants it. God I wish the Niners could somehow land a better QB and leave Alex in the dust. I like Alex but this is getting so frustrating to the point where I want to see him get screwed over somehow. Come back, prove you’re not just a flash in the pan and be a man. Otherwise, shut up and enjoy being a backup somehwere else.
If I were Alex Smith, I would move on since i was so butthurt. Waste my $$$ at the Brass Rail and then sign with the Allen Wranglers and under throw T.O. all day…
Be a man, acknowledge that you are in a business and then suck it up and sign with SF.
Don’t forget the reason the Niners looked at Manning in the first place is because Smith turned down the $24 million offer they presented him before free agency started. When Smith turned that down that meant the Niners had to look at other options and oh, gee…the best option available happens to be one of the best QB’s of all time. Nice job Alex, way to think it through. Now either sign and then start with your first place team or go compete for a job with a last place team (Miami, Cleveland…who else?). Quit crying in your Cheerios and act like an adult.
My thoughts exactly. 3years $24M is more than FAIR!!!
he needs to sign and become a game manager from the niners agian… sigh
Betrayed?? If anything,he feels like the 49ers need HIM. I dont think Smith has much resentment when if he’s in touch at all with reality that no other team now wants him..and SF offers three years to play. The best gym membership ever.
Ship off and interview with any other team interested, then if you can’t find one one that you like, renegotiate 49ers offer to a one year deal and try free agency next year. After all he should be confident enough in his abilities to believe that some club will want an “elite” quarterback on their team.
If I were Alex Smith… I’d retire.
He obviously doesn’t have the fortitude & gumption to play at the next level. If he truly doesn’t understand their interests and desires to improve the team (with Peyton) then he truly doesn’t understand this business\game.
Not to mention he doesn’t even have a “market” for his “elite” talent.
Hes elite and politicians are honest
I don’t understand why it would be anything other than option 1.
I haven’t read all the responses, but your options, Grant, aren’t phrased accurately. They are posed with biased statements.
You say he’s been betrayed…how so? He had an offer that he didn’t sign on the table. Every team states their QB is their guy and he still is, but if you have a chance to upgrade ANY position, then it’s the responsibility of the team to pursue. that. Peyton was that opportunity, so what’s the big deal? They apparently still want him, so move forward?
You contend it’s a “low-ball offer”. It’s more than he made last year and it’s apparently higher than the rest of the market will pay, so if anything he’s lucky to get that!
Further, option 2 suggests the front office has lied.
1. We don’t know what was said behind the scenes. He may have known through Condon what the Niners were doing. If not,
2. it’s still not his business to know who they are pursuing, so where’s the lie?
You may say they said they were not pursuing Peyton. However, that may have been true at first, but without a signed QB they can’t wait around. They decided to execute screwed business and check their options. They were probably never really a viable option, but if they were to wait for Alex to decide his contract offer wasn’t good enough and let him sign else where, what then? That would have been irresponsible of them.
Clearly the Niners are willing to move on without him if they have to pay more, just as they do with everyone else. If Alex wants to be part of it, he can, if not, he can see what’s better for him and as someone else said above, he’s probably done as a starter if he tries that. NO ONE sees him as their answer for the future. EVERYONE would continue to look for that “elite” QB if they have AS on their roster.
BREAKING FREE AGENT NEWS — Geoff Schwartz has entered the building at 4949 Centennial Blvd.
Who is going to talk to him though? Baalke, Jed, Paraag and Gideon have all vacated the building within the last 45 minutes.
I don’t understand why this is even a question.
If you operate under the following assumptions.
It’s BUSINESS
As an employee or perceptive employee you are only as valuable to your employer as you have to be. In other words they will always try to pay you the least amount of money as possible and will always tried to find the best possible solution for your position…which means you are replaceable.
When you (Alex) chose not to sign your contract, the Niners had just as much right to shop around as you had to entertain other offers. They are not beholden to you and you are not beholden to them.
The Niners should try to sign you for the least amount as possible; You (Alex) should try to sign for the most amount as possible (again, it’s just business). In business THE MARKET SETS YOUR VALUE. To our knowledge you (Alex) have no other offers on the table. Most likely any other offers that come in would be for less and probably not for a starting position. If you (Alex) were worth more than the Niners’ offer, you would have received an offer. Since you haven’t received another offer, that means your market value is at or lower than the Niner’s offer. So to me there is no other RATIONAL alternative than to sign the Niner’s offer.
This is pretty much exactly what I said just a few comments ago…what’s the big deal?
I think the fans and beat writers are getting more emotional about this than the players are or at least more than they shouild be!
Hey Smith – stop crying and sign the contract.
Play with a chip, win a SB, prove people wrong then go for $20M/yr.
Case closed
49Girl I could hug you right now. good news.
The 49ers have always been clear about having competition on the roster and have always made it clear that they intend to upgrade any position on the roster that they can. I don’t think Alex should be offended by the 49ers flirtations with a first ballot hall of famer. Moreover, the offer on the table appears more than fair. It doesn’t appear other teams are chomping at the bit to offer Alex more money. He should sign the contract and prove to his nay-sayers that he deserves to be paid like an elite quarterback on the field.
I would also put a “expiration” on the “current” deal on the table.
Here is the “offer” Alex, take it or leave it… and we need your decision by Noon, Wednesday.
Alex should’nt be offended at all considering the contract was on the table for a week before this PM shinanigans started. Sign the contract before you piss me off.
You are such an idiot. Trade for Tebow and chase off a decent QB? WTF?
Idiot? search deep in your head for an ounce of logic and maybe, just maybe you’ll come to the conclusion that a potential Tebow trade wasn’t going to result in him at the full time QB position. He would have been a Michael Robinson hybrid type FB.
He was overpaid for 6 years, this is a fair offer to market value.
Smith is an average QB with no real market demand. He’s classy off the field and slow and careful on the field. $24M with $10M guaranteed after 6 of 7 years laying eggs on the field to the tune of $31M+ is a pretty fair deal to me. He can retire for the rest of his life anytime he wants. I’m not feeling sorry for him. Be thankful, take the niner’s offer, and try to improve your game to something that would be expected of a #1 overall pick in year 8.
Well there is some good news out of this. Every excuse the smith fans have made for him over the years will be gone next year. It’s his final chance to show the doubters and the 49ers he’s worth as much as he thinks he is right now.
Excuse 1 coaching….. That one is dead
2 continuity….. Dead
3 o-line…. They are getting better every snap…. Dead
4 recievers…. They are loaded now…… Dead
5 his spirit…. Harbaugh instilled confidence in him last year.. Dead
——————————————————
Now what the doubters see… That includes me to a point
1 field vision…. Let’s see
2 accuracy…. Tbd
3 Happy feet in the pocket/ patience….Tbd
4 the check down problem… Tbd
5 Become the true offensive leader… Gotta take that title hands down with no doubt… Tbd
6 redone issues… Tbd
—————————————————–
So now that the excuses are done. These 3 things that he struggled at will be the key to an elite year. IMO we’ve been through so many bad times with this guy, I say give him this year ‘because he earned this chance last year’ to see if he can kill the is Alex our future talk. It’s all there for him for once. He’s got to take advantage or he’s got to go. Let’s see what this year brings. Go Niners!!!
Obviously ninermd has been watching the same games I have. These are also issues that have been the same the last 7 season, but ninermd is right based on last season I am willing to give Alex one more shot to prove he belongs with the team, if not Kaepernick will be the starter in 2013.
OLine is getting better with every snap… O_o How do you figure? They just lost their best RG Adam Snyder. That means 4/5 of the Line COULD be getting better. But that don’t mean EFFALL in the grand scheme of things because RT was a Turnstile, Center Turnstile, and LT TURNSTILE. Sorry bro, but the Line wasn’t getting better. Harbaugh just sent out a couple extra Linemen to stop the bleeding.
That doesn’t make the Line better that makes it WORSE. 44 Sacks allowed with a mobile QB puts the 9ers top 5 in Sacks allowed.
I do agree everything else is or has been addressed but please take off the blinders. This Line is still very suspect. Last game (Chmpionship Game) Smith was Sacked 3 times. Only we didn’t notice it because Manning was Sacked 6 times.
I have to say things are looking up though cause it’s been a long time since we had a winning QB that fans wanted to chuck under the bus for not making it to a Super Bowl. Not since Jeff Garcia has this happened.
Steve Young got a lot of heat before he won his superbowl.
@waterman
I know. And for the record, I supported SY just the same. I didn’t hate on him at all.
1. Agree
2. Not really. 2 years is hardly real continuity. It is enough to make a line. Not to confirm it (5-7)
3. No chance are you right. Cead nailed it pretty well here.
4. Which WR do we have that demands 2 teams and goes all out every play? Nada. None.
5. Heading into the off-season, no question. After this debacle, we are only speculating. but how would you feel if you did everything your boss told you and even more then goes behind your back to get rid of you, with the knowledge that the new grad who can barely tie his shoes is going to replace you? (Hey Tim. How’s that for a run on sentence?)
Ds you are a due hard alexcuser. You gotta be kidding. Alex smith holds the ball to long. And the recievers this year like moss… May command double teams. You don’t know if they won’t be better. Don’t forget out TE that needs to be double teamed. Takes pressure off of the qb. But Alex didn’t throw the damn ball. You excuses are done this year. He’s got to put up or get out. Bottom line. And two years is plenty of continuity. After the year he had last year. Looks like he knew the book pretty well. Without any offseason. Sorry but if your boy doesn’t do it next year. Your excuses will mean squat. Like they have before. Bottom line. Ceader….. This line IS getting better. Tell your boy not to hold the damn ball so long… Which is documented. NO MORE EXCUSES!!! PERIOD
@md
Please look over the whole years blog (or just in your memory) and tell me how many posts showed the OL to be a “great” OL.
Also it is easy to go from complete stinking it up (OL for years) to mediocre (which they finally achieved for the most part in the Title game) than it is from mediocre to great.
Play calling I think had the largest impact on the OL play. And the fact that all you have to do to stop the Niners is put 8 in the box and double VD if he goes out to catch. If he stays in along with FG, blitz.
A Wallace would prevent that first grade defensive strategy from working ever again.
And if AS is not the QB and the Niners don’t win the Super Bowl, will be equally harsh on the new QB? What if the QB does not win in 2013 either? At what point is the new “loser’ QB tossed aside?
dont forget walking off the field with his head down after another failed 3rd down
Good bye alex smith you sensitive little punk. Alex should be in prison all of the money he has stolen from San Francisco.
Ironic you go by the name of a guy who fit that very description.
Shut up with your stupidity please. Alex Smith didn’t steal from the organization. That’s your pride talking.
It’s Simple ask for more $$$$ MONEY $$$$ while he can ….
He can use the FA signings as an example of where the market is, and if they even meet him half way , take the money and play for your teammates … IE: make lemonade out of lemons …
Sign the Frickin Deal dude before the 49er faithful tear the stick down. the offer has been on the table for a week plus and you had the oppertunity to sign it but didn’t. Did you think the 49ers would sti around and wait to see what you did, we need a QB.
SIGN THE DEAL AND GET YOUR SUPERBOWL RING
I dunno, might as well hold off and start the demolition now. As much as I love the stick, Baalke and Harbs went out to the 50 of Bill Walsh Field and dropped trou on Walsh’s legacy. Walsh would have went after Manning too(maybe) but he would have been up front with Alex about it from day one and he wouldn’t have played games with the “offer”.
We could stand to see a bit of fallout from this imho.
Of course you would Grant. You’ve argued against Smith pretty much your whole career in Journalism. At least here anyway. :p
There is another option you didn’t consider…
Submit a one year deal, play like a man possessed and tell the Front Office where to head in at next offseason.
And this is EXACTLY what I would do. Rivers is going to be nearing the end of his rope there will be more spots open next year and after 2 solid seasons from Smith his value will climb.
Alex Smith was the most protected Free Agent in the history of the sport, by how the Front Office openly coveted him as “Their guy”. Nobody thought they would be able to get Smith for that reason and they never called because of that. He can still go to Miami and fight it out with Garrard and Moore. But for the most part, thanks to Baalke and Harbaugh marking their territory very publicly on Alex Smith, the market for the guy never materialized.
Oh that was a bold move. But also very stupid. All they had to do was be straight up with the guy. They weren’t and it’s sad that Smith has no choice but to go back an play for them. There should be a punishment for this very public incident. I know there isn’t but there should be.
Chris Mortensen stated that Smith didn’t get the Terms Agreement. If this is true, the 9ers should get their hands smacked for it. Which they will in future Free Agent negotiations. Nobody wants to deal with a disingenuous negotiator. If you can’t do what you say and say what you mean, you might as well stay with the draft. Free Agents aren’t gonna want to be part of your team regardless of success.
Cead,
I agree with you that Smith was treated poorly. It’s business, but it could have been handled and should have been handled more honestly.
Having said that, I wouldn’t call Smith season “solid”. If you put up a pie chart and divided it up into 4 sections.
Horrible
Average
Good
Great
I would say that the majority of games Smith hovered around average sprinkled in with some good that he couldn’t delivery consistently. His contract says so, the front office says so, and the lack of interest around the NFL says so.
This is his last chance. He’s on a dream team and he’s the perceived weak link. Gotta play lights out period. Or the front office that treated him so poorly will let him go next year completely and if the entire NFL sees that his only job will be carrying a clip board…
Option 2. The niners will be up a creek without a paddle. They wouldnt have made it to the nfc title game if he doesnt pull it out against the saints. We had big wins in the 4th quarter especially in detroit. They dont even make the playoffs without him IMO. Niners have made it clear Smith is an afterthought to them. He should move on. Gore, Brooks, Willis,Davis,rogers were all rewarded with contracts. The offer on the table is a spit in his face.
Alex,
You are statistically the worst QB on 3rd down, and in the Red Zone.
You had a great game against the Saints, too bad you didn’t show up the following week.
Best of Luck
Ummm you better check your Red Zone facts. Alex Smith before this season was top 5 in the Red Zone. I doubt his Red Zone numbers took much of a hit from this season.
Also Genius, we were 40/60 in Run Pass on 3rd down and with the cutesy play calling on 3rd, Receivers dropping balls and stupid penalties how much of the problems on 3rd down were on Alex Smith?
Go be a fan of another team. You obviously aren’t a very good 9er fan. At least know your facts before you drop them.
@Ceadderman
Where did this AS sucks in the red zone thing come from? One of the few things that everybody said about AS before last year was that he was good in the red zone. The Niners didn’t get down there enough though and they blamed AS for that.
Now, it is the complete opposite. AS got them to the red zone and they were not as good as in his previous years.
Why don’t others see that there are circumstances during the season which can logically explain the drop off that do not involve AS or sucking?
The whole Alex Smith was good in the red zone had more to do with the fact that he very rarely turned the ball over in that area. It isn’t as though he was tearing it up.
The one thing that I noticed is that they didn’t utilize Davis much in that area of the field. He was the best weopon for Smith the 2 years prior, but for some reason Roman and Harbaugh kinda went away from that.
I also didn’t see very much creativity with motion or roll outs to help get people moving and create gaps. I am sure that this will be a point of emphasis throughout the off season, and the addition of Randy Moss should be a big help down there as well.
No Jack
Career wise, AS has always been good in the red zone. Only 1 Int in his whole career I believe. Don’t know how many lost fumbles, but likely not that many.
I agree with the VD thing. But again, last season (regular) VD kind of stank it up. He would jump up for no reason to catch passes which were either perfectly aimed to hit his chest, would not hit his legs (no fault of AS) and the safe 1st down pass where the receiver falls down on a low pass to prevent a big hit…VD jumped on those as well. Resulting in the ball hitting the ground for an Inc.
But in the playoffs, VD and AS were on. And that is all that I care about. Get there, and be great. Don’t much care about the stats in the regular season. Big plays in big moments in big games. The thing that wins games and the thing that is not tracked via statistically because it would almost be impossible to track.
I don’t know why they didn’t employ the roll out passes more either. The few times they did, I remember it working.
Alex we love you!! There I said it, now sign the damn contract so we can get on with FA and the Draft! Tisk, tisk to the FO for boching this one, but Alex, there’s no crying in Football!! Welcome back!
Please write something meaningful and spare us with the ridiculous “what would you do” scenarios. The only way Smith succeeds during the remainder of his NFL career is with Harbaugh and the Niners. Harbaugh and the Niners, on the otherhand, will no doubt succeed with or without the services of Smith. At this point, I could care less whether or not he comes back.
Fall on my knees and thank God people in SF are crazy!. Anyone else would have been ditched after 7 miserable years. He has a Ol with 3 first rounders and a probowl center, Gore , VD and the top scoring D in the league. If he cant win win that he cant win with anything. No way he gets that in Miami or anyplace else. Run Forrest run, sign the deal or you will be on a miserable team and that wont be “trying to find you weapons” or whatever lame excuses people keep making for you. good grief, no 3rd downs in teh second half and you want to be paid over 8 million per year. Seriously dude, you maybe smart but when it comes to football you truly are clueless.
“He has a Ol with 3 first rounders and a probowl center”… and they played like it too right? Hahahahahahahahaha!!! Jesus you can feel the butthurt eminating from your post all the way up in the Arctic Circle I bet. Thanks for the laugh. It’s been a rough week with this Manning Dalliance. x)
Look like from Matt Barrows twitter that their is a big meeting going on, they are meeting Alex at Denny’s in East San Jose.
The joker should have signed two weeks ago and he if he had, he would not be in this mess. Seriously, this is totally his own doing. The more I think about it, the more I am exciting kid like Kaepernick taking over. Don’t get me wrong, he will struggle early, but late, he could be special. Our offense was still dismal last year….stats back that up 100%. We won games with key plays at key moments both offensively and defensively. We had the best D since the Ravens in 2000 and we could barely win games. That is a horrible. Smith is a reasonably better version of Dilfer, but it is still Dilfer, who sucked. We need a gunslinger at some point…a franchise QB. #1 rule in NFL is that if you don’t have one, you get one. Right now, we don’t know what we have, so maybe we need to find out sooner than later. Just saying.
Well said!
Just EXACTLY how do you sign a Contract if you don’t have the most important page of the Contract?
From all accounts talking to Smith(media) the deal was “going to get done” do you think he wanted to be a Free Agent past the team deadline?
You’ve seriously got to be joking if you think he did. Since when has Smith EVER played games in a contract negotiation with the team? Forget this one. Look back in your mind’s eye and try to recall a single time where Smith held out, or pulled some insane BS trying to get a deal done.
Now tell me guys what did you come up with?
I know you think you’re being clever by masking your desire to have the 49ers get rid of Alex by saying that the honorable thing for Alex is to reject the 49er’s duplicity, but after all the anti-Alex crap you’ve thrown out there already, the ruse is just too transparent. Give it a rest, Grant!
Truth!
Grant’s job is to be objective and asserts things the way an analyst would see them, not the way the fans want things to be seen and presented. He is not trying to place in a popularity contest or a beauty contest. He is trying to call things as he sees them. Fact of the matter is that Smith was a #1 overall bust for 6 years, and in year 7, with the support of a #1 overall defense, #1 overall ST, and one of the best offensive minds in the game, was able to have an above average year of low production, high efficiency football that was filled with characteristic checkdowns and missed passes as well. He stepped up against the Saints and couldn’t complete a pass to his WRs to save his life against the Giants. Grant speaks the truth.
If you want to be stroked and hear things that make you feel good, call your mother. Otherwise, Grant is doing his job – calling things as he sees them, whether fans like it or not. That’s what makes a good sportswriter.
@ Grant
Option No. 2; That’s what you would do? Really? You still live with your parents. Shut up. Note, no swearing in this post.
Whats with the personal attacks? You must be really miserable.
@jsand
You’ll see a lot worse than that. At anybody.
true
He’s 22-24? ( I’m a lousy stalker)..its a wonder he isnt still playing with Hot Wheels. Living at home in the $$$$ bay area at that age? Sowut.
…lol
Alex has one big, and often-documented, factor working against him–in addition to his lack of leverage, while trying to hold out for a better deal somewhere else: He’s basically “non-functional” in a new offense until he completely understands every nuance of it. In light of that, the question becomes are teams willing to put up with him during that potentially lengthy period of ineffectiveness until he becomes functional. On the otherhand, he has the option of coming back to the 49ers and FINALLY having a second subsequent year in the SAME offense for a change. As Jed has said, “the ball is in his hands.”
Grant,
It’s not a choice between money or integrity. It’s a question between a chance to be a starting QB [i.e., being smart], at a decent salary, or begging for a job [i.e., being stupid]. There really isn’t any choice at all, unless Smith is a fool. I think he’s smart enough to ignore the foolish impulse to “teach the 49ers a lesson”, or prove that he’s a “man”.
Thats the truth there, ex. Smith knows the Harbaugh era is like manna from heaven for his up to now woe-begone career. Thats plain to see as a wide open Crabtree (on second thought, no one’s ever seen that). He’s had a history of $ givebacks, even ran camp Alex out of his out pocket last year. You got to wonder if his agent is the one feeding him the line to hold out for a better deal?
“Thats plain to see as a wide open Crabtree (on second thought, no one’s ever seen that). ”
Ruffling some feathers there ribico
Of course they get mad if you make a
:- )
so who cares, right?
No doubt the entire agent fraternity is pushing Alex to hold out, because if they allow Baalke to succeed with his “take it or leave it” approach, agents will lose a lot of power around the league. That’s not going to happen. I said before that agents will begin pushing back against Baalke, and it looks like this is their first serious attempt. But of course it’s ultimately Alex’s call, and I don’t think he’s in a mood to do his agent any favors.
@Raiq
Smiths agent is worse than vomit. At least you can put vomit into a bag and throw it into the garbage. You can’t do that with people (legally).
He is probably smarter as well. Guy majored in economics. Not an easy college football type major and excelled in his classes. I say he can take a crash course on becoming a sports agent and do a better job by himself.
Ribico,
The word is that there was an offer, but no offer sheet to sign. I don’t know if that’s true, but if so, then it sounds as if the 49ers were holding Smith at bay so they could go through the process with Manning.
It also sounds as if Condon didn’t / doesn’t want Smith to sign a contract for less money / guaranteed money than Flynn. If that’s the case, you may be on to something.
It’s hard to know what’s true, or not.
Raiq,
Interesting take, but I’m not sure what the agents can do about the 49ers’ FA strategy [although, I'm sure they want to do something about it].
The 49ers either sign players for the 49ers’ price right away, pass on players not willing to agree to the 49ers’ valuation, or pass on a player, only to still sign them for the 49ers’ price once the player in question doesn’t find another team to pay them what they want [sometimes for less than the original offer - Goldson, last year].
It’s a pretty good formula, especially if you’re a winning team.
YOU ARE MAKING THIS WAY TOO HARD…IT’S SIMPLE!
Sorry, no need to yell, eh? All Alex needs to do, as a FA QB, is ask himself two questions: 1) Do I want to win a Super Bowl?, and, 2) Which team in the league affords me the best chance of winning said Super Bowl? Cheat Sheet for Alex (Spoiler Alert!), Answers: 1) Hell Yes, and 2) SF 49ers.
Alex, please! Would you just dance with the one who brought you?
Would you do that after the red punch has been dumped on you and the ones who brought you to the dance are laughing at you?
We all know how that turns out.
He telepathically locks all the gym windows and door and then sets it on fire while his moms voice echos in his head, “they’re all gonna laugh at you!”
@jsand
: – )
@ DS
Again, ask yourself, “Do I REALLY want to win a Lombardi?” Red punch, hurt feelings and all, (“Mommy, they WANTED somebody else!”) it’s time to be a big boy and prove it to all naysayers, and most importantly, Alex himself.
@77
Hey, you used the example. I just “fleshed” it out for you.
:- )
I said way back at mid-esaon that this Niners team as they are composed of right now are better than the AR lead Packers.
And, they were. Just sucks how the ball bounces sometimes or else we would be talking about AS having already won a Super Bowl right now.
And, I still think this is the best team in the NFL. I’m a fan. That is what I am supposed to think. Except at the end of the NFC title game I knew it to be true. We were the most complete team in the NFL. No other knew “team” like we did.
But after how things went down, I don’t think we will be the same unified team this year. We may be better and more experienced, but that magic of last year is gone. And not just because its time has come and gone. But because we shoved it out the door and waved goodbye.
In the last blog or 2 I described how I think all this went down. Basically, I think this is a lot more of TB than it is JH. TB is in charge of personnel. JH is in charge of the team. But JH is going to have to be the best middle guy in sports history right now to right the wrong done this time between AS and TB (Niners personnel).
@ DS
“Fleshed,” eh, kind of like “Carrie,” maybe? Ouch!
Good point about TB vs JH…and I agree with you about last season being magical (@ Philly, @Detroit, are you kidding, THAT was fun!)
Being the deluded faithful 9er fan that I am now, for almost 40 years, I believe that the 2012 team can remain hungry and close the deal. I have had mixed feelings about AS over the years: admired his resiliency and toughness and then also cringed, as I watched him throw balls at the feet of his receivers in the title game. I hope that he can come back and get that title; that would be storybook stuff. Last year was a wasted opportunity, AND, I think this team comes back better in 2012.
Alex does not have to be PM, EM, AR, or TB…he gets to write his own story. We will see, eh?!
@77
Welcome the cesspool of diluted fans. One way or another that describes us all. lol
I have that Philly game on DVD. That was the turning point for the whole team. FG gave an interview and acted in a manner which I had never seen before. He really believed what JH and the staff were saying. You have to see a mans eyes to really tell, and they told me everything right there.
@ DS
Yes! I remember the FG interview after the PHILLY game. The team gained some deserved swagger that day, lol.
The D sets the tone for the team, I feel. I love the term, not my own, to describe how our guys hit: “Slobberknockers.” Very cool!
: – )
By all indications, Smith has probably saved his money wisely, such that he and his family can live a good life and never have to work again. Or he can finish his master’s in economics, go to Wall Street and get multi-million dollar bonuses even if loses other people’s money. He might make more than the NFL could have ever paid him.
In the NFL he is always one play away from a permanently debilitating injury. If what he’s accomplished in the NFL is so devalued by every team, if everyone buys into the media campaign against him (partly driven by an NFL fraternity that – wrongly – blames him for Nolan and Singletary getting fired) and gives all the credit to Harbaugh, ignoring how much he’d improved before Harbaugh arrived (94.8 qb rating in his last 7 games of 2010), then if I were him I’d walk away from the game entirely. Seriously. See how well your SB contending team does without me, Baalke. See how well you do with Kaep and a scrub FA, Harbaugh.
Alex Smith doesn’t need the NFL. He doesn’t need to put his long-term health on the line for a team that disrespects what he’s accomplished. I selfishly hope he comes back, but as others said, he can sit out and wait for the right situation. There will, unfortunately, be starting qb injuries. If a respectable offer never comes, I think he’ll be just fine.
So, you would not come back as things are now if you were AS?
I wouldn’t, but of course I don’t have the fire for the game that he does. I wouldn’t care about fame or prestige, either. I’d be seriously concerned about getting injured behind a porous offensive line that hasn’t been upgraded, especially since Harbaugh and Roman insisted on calling so many 7-step drops despite the fact that our OL was one of the worst in the league in allowing sacks in under 2.5 seconds. (In the Pittsburgh game, they called a lot of quick passing plays and Smith wasn’t sacked once.) But I digress.
…i am tempted to go with raiq on this……
@oneniner
If I were actually the QB, I would turn tail, and run the fastest I have ever ran away from the LOS after taking the snap, throwing the ball away anywhere. With guys like my guy Justin Smith wanting to floss their teeth with my cartilage, I am not a QB.
No way am I even in the position, so I can’t really say what I would do. But I would feel betrayed. Does not mean that I don’t sign or come back. But that feeling I had last year with the team is gone. Unless JH pulls some magical make Merlin blush tricks, I am there for my teammates like I always have been. I am not there for the 49ers though. And depending on how/what goes down with JH, I am there for him.
I still think JH had little to do with this whole mess. And that JH would be cool if he coached the Niners for 10 years (or rather his first 10 years) with nobody else at QB than AS.
So Grant-whats the deal between you and Bay Area Sports guy?…he sounds in a way like that guy who said he used to be your friend and came over for dinner..then just ripped your father as a phony and whatnot.
BASG has taken you to task for the Tebow thing.
@Stan
Who are you talking about?
Who is bay area sports guy
He runs one of the few sports blogs that hasn’t banned me or censored me-I give him that. I can’t say he and I agree all the time or even half..we have different takes.
But-he does go after Grant much more then any other media.
Oh-and he does have a media pass so posts some interesting video’s of the locals. Just ignores only the A’s though.
@Stan
If he banned you, and you acted as you did there as you do here, then he sucks.
Best to not think about sucky people. There are still enough good people who need help.
I’ve never met him or read his stuff. Does he have a name?
Hof seems to know you from other blogs-largely you have provided a good laugh or three since you been here…you been bad?
Scott Willis?…I mean, has also has posted about where you sit,who’s your buddy (again,I’m a lousy stalker-I forgot what writer/reporter kid he said you like to sit next to)…and generally seems to resent you. And thats not instigation..he posts the usual “Son of Cohn advantage” stuff that you get here.
I just wonder if you notice somebody at presscons giving you the evil eye?-lol.
If I was Alex Smith I would consider how much money I was given when I signed the contract of my rookie season (that I never lived up to). Then I would sign the fargin contract! Then I would thank God that I have a job! Then I would go out there and play my butt off and earn a better one! I would also not be tripping on the whole Manning thing and I would realize (the fact I have been in the league this long already) that their are bigger things at play here then just lil ol me aka a stadium the owners the fans bla bla bla.
I think it is time to Free Willy, oh I meant Free Alex, he needs to move on.
Sign the contract before they find a replacement.
Unfortunately, a very peculiar situation has developed: by accepting the 49ers’ offer, Alex Smith will be confirming that he is NOT an elite QB (would any elite QB in the league work for $8M/year?). So the only way he can relay to the world that he IS an elite QB, at least in his own mind, would be to walk away from the 49ers’ deal, even if it means sitting out a year.
Although the 49ers had every right to consider all their QB options, the publicly demonstrated chemistry between the coach and and the QB no doubt set an expectation that some kind of a bigger deal would be done. So in light of that, the $8M x 3 years deal does look light and somewhat surprising.
Under the circumstances, if I were Alex Smith, I’d negotiate a one-year deal with the 49ers. This would be the first year in which EVERYTHING would come together for Alex Smith – the same coaches, the best stable of receivers in the past six years, continuity and a full off-season of training and preparation.
So if I were Smith, I would want to come in for exactly one year and show not only the 49ers, but the entire league, that I have indeed risen to that next level of QBs. That does not necessarily mean a Superbowl win, but more along the lines of 65%+ completion accuracy, at least six 300 yard games, at least eight 3+ TD games, scary good performance in the red zone, etc.
In other words, an output and statistics that compare well with the likes of Aaron Rodgers, Drew Breese, Matt Schaub, Matthew Stafford, and of course, Eli Manning.
If I, Alex Smith, can produce that kind of output, at the end of the year, the 49ers would be fighting to retain me. If I did not produce that kind of output, then let’s face it, I’m a journeyman QB, a probably a good backup, or if I’m a starter, I’m a bridge to somebody better. In that case, I will have to acknowledge I’m not the gigabucks uber QB, and settle for what I am.
So, signing a 3-year $8M/year deal seems to me a bad decision, for both Alex Smith, who will likely feel miserable every day, thinking he got shafted, and frankly, even the 49ers.
If I’m the 49ers, I would be worried that even 3 years is too long, because if Alex Smith does not have a monstrous year in 2012, then we’re stuck with his contract for two more years, and we’re on the hook for $16M more.
And walking away is not a good idea either. It will inconvenience the 49ers, and make Alex Smith rusty, and he could be forgotten by 2013. He is not an established player like a Randy Moss to come back after chilling it for a year. So bravado is probably not the best strategy.
So to me, this is the time for Alex and the 49ers to come to an agreement over a one-year contract, perhaps for $9-10M. If Alex proves he’s a world beater, the 49ers will not grudge showering him with a giga contract. If Alex shows he is not in that upper echelon, well, at least he would know he gave it his best shot, and that’s who he is, and he did not get cheated.
My 2 cents’ worth.
alot like what happend to Campbell in Oat town!??
No, this would be very different. It would be initiated by Alex Smith, and it would be a challenge he sets for himself. I think Alex Smith would earn a lot of respect if he took this approach, and it would be the best face-saving way out for everyone.
You see, right now, the 49ers can’t afford to make the deal any sweeter. It would signal that they really tried to lowball Smith in the first place. So they have to stay firm. And frankly, what they offered was probably not unfair, never mind what the Jets paid Sanchez.
A one year $10 or even $12M deal would minimize the risk for the 49ers – if Smith did not work out, there are no further obligations. But if Smith turned out to be a scary QB that left defensive coordinators suffering nightmares, the every penny of the $12M would be worth it.
So if I’m the 49ers, I’d go for a 1-year $12M deal.
The 49ers wouldn’t be on the hook for $16m in the last 2 years of the deal. They could cut Alex at any time and only have to pay him the guaranteed money, plus his base salary for that season. It’s been speculated that they put most of the guaranteed money in the first year, allowing them to cut Alex with a very minimal cap hit after 2012.
You’re right. I forgot they had a $10M guaranteed payout. OK, so they could make that a one year $10M or even $12M deal, so their downside is limited, but at the same time, it’s an opportunity for Alex to silence all his critics once and for all.
I agree that sounds like a good deal, but I doubt Baalke is willing to pay it.
Do you really think that Alex is one of the top 3 or 4 QBs in the NFL? Because that’s what ‘elite’ means. Nobody puts him in that class; nobody. And I’m no ‘hater’. Sitting out a year would cost him several million $ and wouldn’t raise his stature around the league. He’d have signing options as an UFA, but if he was elite, wouldn’t the Dolphins have offered something? Garrard?
Currently Alex is best option for 49ers, and vice versa.
@brotha
Top 3 or 4
AR
DB
TB
Is that it?
Because those players have been around for a while now (all are 5+ years) and count for 5 Super Bowls combined.
Must be quite a few non-elite QB’s winning the Super Bowl then as well.
I don’t know, and I don’t think anyone knows. Every year from 2005 until 2011, something or the other was lacking for Alex Smith. Last year, there was no off-season and training at all.
2012 would be the VERY FIRST YEAR when everything comes together for Alex Smith. If he does not perform a that super QB level this year, then he is not one of the top QBs. So this would be the watershed year when he will have no excuses for not rocketing up to a very high orbit. Every other year of his career at SF was seriously impacted.
He’s not asking for elite money. He’s not even asking to be paid half that. He’s not even asking to paid as well as the top 16 QBs in the league. Baalke is trying to make him the 20th-highest paid QB, and remember that because of the new deal between the owners and players, even #1 picks like Cam will be paid relatively little. Baalke is trying to make Alex the lowest-paid established veteran starting qb in the league. Unless you count Hasselbeck, who got 3 years, $21.5m, but I think he’ll be in a serious competition with Jake Locker, who outperformed him last season.
Peyton
Rodgers
Brees
Eli
Roethlisberger
Rivers
Vick
Romo
Stafford
Schaub
Palmer
Cutler
Cassel
Ryan
Bradford
Sanchez
Kolb
Fitzpatrick
Flynn
That’s 19 current starting QBs who got better deals than what Baalke is offering Smith. At this point Smith is probably just holding out to be paid equal to Flynn, or perhaps slightly higher.
Roy
Last evening I had the same thought about a one-year contract. But where you and I differ is that I don’t think Alex can put up, or needs to put up, Aaron Rodgers/Tom Brady-like numbers in Harbaugh’s balanced offense to show that he’s capable of being long-term viable starter. He had a pretty decent 2011, and he just needs to show significantly more improvement than he did from 20011 to 2012. Such a performance, together with the improved receiver corps, would take the Niners very deep into the play-offs, barring any major injuries.
I believe that last year’s average starting QB pay in the league was $8.1M, so the Niners have offered him a below-average market rate.
By the way, unless there are multiple Roy Prasads, you must be the one who moderated the first Mercury Niners bog, 49ers Huddle back in 2008-2009. That was the thinking fan’s blog and I still miss the relaxed, thoughtful, and reasoned opinions that folks posted there. Do you have a blog these days?
elite quarterbacks that are unrestricted free agents do not sit out a year to spite one team, because elite quarterbacks have….you know… other teams that want them.
I like it, Roy!
THATS what BASG said..are you him?
Somebody up above said Grant posted the Tebow just to get hits…why my reply didnt go to that post I dont know.
Insted of worryIng about Alex Smith, maybe you should write a story for once and stop riding Alex Smiths nuts and tell your Dad to do the same with Harbaugh.
I know he’s your one and only bread and butter but I’m pretty sure that in college they taught you how to be a creative writer, guy your blog is boring, change it up.
..I agreee
The mud-slinging usually starts with an AS post or blog.
Not a bad idea.
Get over it and take the tens of millions of dollars to play a game for a living. That’s what I’d do.
Hey crybaby punk smith:
sign the contract;
maybe then you can go out and prove that you’re not a bust.
I think you just want Alex gone……..
I’m OK with that.
“Take the red pill”-Morpheus
Thank you for the grin.
“Definitely don’t take the teal pill”-Ryan Clark
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000d5d827bbcb1/article/angry-mob-of-dolphins-fans-stage-organized-protest
Or maybe you do and save everybody there. The fans and GM.
Is Alex Smith’s heart too wounded to sign the Niners offer?
Remember Alex, you once were surpassed on the depth chart by Troy Smith! Take the deal and like it!
If I was Alex, I’d have my head examined for not taking the deal, initially.
Then I’d see if the CFL had any interest.
Sign it like he should have before the PM fiasco
Another poorly constructed post by Grant based on false premises. Posts like this make you a flame thrower not a journalist.
#1 Alex was not betrayed…he’s a FA and the Niners owe it to the team to evaluate all FAs and…
#2 Who says it is a low ball offer? Many feel that the current offer is too much for one good year out of 7. The Niners should know better than anyone what he is worth to them. It’s not like AS has a long line forming for his services. Apparently most other GMs agree or he would already be signed somewhere.
Sign the contract and shut my mouth. Alex thinks we got to NFC Championship on his arm , no it was Harbaugh and a brick wall of a Def that got there. You think Harbaugh wanted to throw 3 -4 yard out routes? Heck no , he was brilliant in his game plan around Alex. This is a business not a frat house , sign the thing or watch CK play the kind of ball you ran.
Not trying to kiss butt here, but I’ve got to say I think DS94Ever us one if the few sane posters on this comment board. Very logical and not crazy emotional like some of ya’s! Also, always enjoy Tim’s point of view and Niner Girl, well everyone loves her!!
The Niners have contacted Josh Johnson agent, expecting a try-out this week.
http://www.mercurynews.com/49ers/ci_20215841/former-buc-josh-johnson-wants-49ers-qb-job
Neal – You must of got me by a second or two. :-)
I did, we posted at the same time. hahah Is Alex going to be sleeping again at the wheel? He can’t pull the trigger and sign the contract? He is going to be holding a clipboard very soon.
Looks like Josh Johnson is coming in for a visit this week.
http://blogs.mercurynews.com/49ers/2012/03/20/ex-harbaugh-qb-josh-johnson-would-like-reunion/
..talk about someone nobody really wants….
…..Johnson went 0-5 as a Buccaneers starter, including four starts in 2009 and one last season. In 26 games, he completed 96-of-177 passes (54.2 percent) for 1,042 yards with five touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 16 sacks.
Johnson’s career NFL passer rating of 57.7 is a far cry from his NCAA-record mark of 176.7 at USD……..
Baalke is a moron…..
@oneniner
But his (Johnson) red zone efficiency stat? We want %. Since we don’t have a clue what stats mean and how to read them, it does not matter if JJ was 100% in the red zone on 1 trip off a 19.5 yard scamper by his RB. It is still 100% TD rate in the red zone!
Come on oneniner. That is what we are crying about now with AS. Red zone efficiency.
…this whole red zone talk is nonsense….Alex was top 5 in red zone the year before…..
…what changed = Playbook/Playcaller………
No worries oneneiner
Once AS gets that solved, it will be his lack of a really good TD dance that people will hate him for not having. After all, AR has one.
Complain meet moan.
When our new QB (guy off the street can’t be ruled out now) can’t handle the snap from Center on a consistent basis, some may change their minds about AS. But not many.
…From Joe….
“Dear Josh Johnson,
Thanks for chiming in, but…at this time…no thank you.
If Alex Smith and the 49ers decide that something isn’t going to happen, then you would obviously be considered.
As the saying goes, “Don’t call us, we’ll call you.”……”
Sweet! If Alex continues this poor wittle fit, might be hitting the road. He’s playing with the wrong guys. He has zero leverage. They’re paying him back up money. So he better take it or leave it. JJ has had time to learn from the sidelines. Alex better hurry his ars up!
…Alex has the leverage……he can sit out and wait for an injured starter…..without Alex we are not smelling the playoffs…….without the 49ers Alex can still make his money…….
….I heard some noise last year that favre should return…..there will always be an opportunity for Alex to play…………if we lose out on the continuity at QB it could set the franchise back years….
@oneniner
AS has a hot wife. And money. And brains.
And people here call him loser?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Sign me up for “loser ville” CA then. Because I would want in. What do the winners have?
Have you seen that loser Barry Zitto wife, OMG she is freaking off the charts.
http://bustedcoverage.com/2011/08/10/barry-zito-engaged-to-miss-missouri-amber-seyer-photos/
I meant Zito
That explains why Zito throws batting practice every time he takes the mound.
Alex Smith has Zito type money sitting on the table but greed kicked in.
If I were Alex I’d quit football, go to journalism school for 6 months, take some of the millions I made from the 49ers, and buy the Press Democrat. Next I would fire you and your father and start writing articles that were critical of you two that have no merit or basis in facts.
Sign the contract. Learn hot to hit the open receiver and become an elite Quarterback then they well forget about CK and you can get the payday yopu want
I doubt Alex will hold out much longer, but if he does I believe Baalke will cave. It may go all the way into September, but he will cave.
September? That would be a major league stare down.
Nobody wins in that situation. Not the 49ers, not Alex Smith, not anyone.
..He has to…he has no choice….he his farked!!!….he would get the blame if we don’t get to the playoffs with or without Alex…..
KNBR said Alex’s deal is only 8million guaranteed. True?
That was Miami’s offer – Niner offer is still unknown.
probably in that same range though.
Lynch was speculating about 10m guaranteed, but couldn’t confirm anything other than Alex thought he was worth more than they were offering.
…one thing is very obvious from all this noise……CK is not ready to be a starter……..
….by the way Manny Lawson is still a FA……
I guess the playoff bound Bengals really needed him. lol
I would be pissed and angry, then be thankful to have the opportunity to be back. After all this was Payton Manning and not a mediocre type of QB that was in contention. Although, I think it is OK to ask for a bit more money but not be to greedy, pain and suffering (lol).
My view is that Niners are lucky that Manning passed as I believe he was more of a liability with his injury and age. Now they need to mend the fence, bring back the guy who knows the offense and go win a championship.
Lessons learned.
Doc
Josh Johnson? Really? 0 wins in 4 career starts, 54% completion rate…yeah let’s sign him NOW! Just like Rick Berry said last night, “that’s CRAZY!!!”
Not to nitpick but he’s 0-5. Also consider he played for the Buccaneers. Also consider Alex Smith was 0-5 the first 5 games of 2010.
I consider JJ a Backup plan to Alex Smith though.
@grimey
Also consider that in 2010 the Bucs were considered a team on the rise with a great young QB and another one waiting in the wings.
Sound familiar? Things change very fast in the NFL. That HC of the darling Bucs is gone. That feeling they had in 2010 is waaayyy gone.
“What have you done for me lately?”-Janet Jackson
@grimey
Reached the Final 4.
What else do you need?
Could happen if Smith doesn’t sign.
Business is Business. I myself think Manning is a risky deal but hey.
Shake it off. With Randy Moss and Manningham added to the passing arsenal, If he has another top 10 QB season and playoff run next year he can name his price
According to Kevin Lynch, Alex’s feelings are hurt because neither the Niners nor Condon were up front with him before flying out to see Manning. They told him a few days later (before ot broke in the media).
Whatever – pull up your big boy underwear, look at what’s best for you and your family and sign the damn contract before they pull it off the table.
Jeez…enough already!!
Exactly hes a puss, this is the exact reason I dont want him qbing the niners
I never said he was a puss – only that he needed to get over it.
I like the thought a fresh start at QB, but Alex has always worked hard and handled himself with class so I’m not down for bashing him as a person.
49erGirl,
Well put, I agree.
Doc
More of a wuss then a puss.
Alex needs to grow a pair. I thought they sprouted after last season, but I see I was wrong. Smith said he was happy with the three year contract but he wasn’t. He could have signed the contract before FA, plain and simple. He didn’t because he wanted more money and years. He wasn’t happy with the value they placed on him just like Dashon Goldson wasn’t happy with the value they placed on him last year. It turns out the Niners gave Smith the best offer and now he’s butt hurt because the Niners tried to get Manning AFTER Smith had the opportunity to sign. It’s time for him to stop pouting and sign the deal.
Yeah that’s the part that is really strange. He told Kim Coyle in that TV interview that he was happy with the offer and it would get done soon. What is that all about?
A sense of entitlement, that’s what it was.
Rocket,
Maybe he really thought it was going to get done, or maybe he didn’t like the contract, but didn’t want to answer further questions about the contract.
Big P,
How does Smith saying he was happy with the contract and just a few details needed to be ironed out reflect that he has a sense of entitlement?
BTW, the word is that there never was a contract for Smith to sign before, and during, the time the 49ers were doing their due diligence on PM. If that’s true, how could he sign something that didn’t exist?
Smith played a game of poker and he lost. He lost big time. He actually handled the negotiations with class because he never came out in the media and said he was unhappy with his offer. I give him lots of credit for this.
His mistake was not pushing harder to get more money before the deadline. He assumed the Niners job was his and overestimated his security. He also overestimated the value the FO had in him.
Once free agency hit, he had no choice but to test the market the main reason being the Niners not budging on the money and courting a big name free agent.
This is where it got really dicey. Smith got angry and said I’m going to test the market. A semi interested seahawk team barely sniffed him and took a career backup over Smith and his only serious suitor was a terrible Miami team that is void of direction or talent.
Smith now has two major obstacles to mentally overcome. First that he doesn’t have the security as the niners QB that he perceived he had. Second, that there is a league wide perception that he isn’t very good.
Only one thing can change all of these opinions. He’s got to play lights out consistently good football. And a high QBR that is beefed up on checkdowns isn’t going to do it.
It seems he won over the bean counters in the FO. With soft incentives his deal is $33M! He’ll laugh all the way to the bank and JH stated he got his guy back!
Nice spin hofer,
16 million in guarantees. Low enough that he’s gone if he doesn’t produce this year….
This year Hofer find neutrality because it escapes you…
Bay, no different than Jordo Blamertude wanting JJ to come in and competer with CK. What a farce…how can he say he is a football guy with knowledge like that. Sad. Good for AS – when some said the guarantee would be $10M or less and he gets $16.5M!!
Glad you said it. “good for Alex Smith”. Tells us what we all know about you.
Well I want competition at the position so that it can be “good for the 49ers”.
I don’t want extra money being thrown out without being “earned”. Especially to a QB that has NO VALUE to anyone in the league. His own agent doesn’t even respect him. Smith is like a jilted woman that comes back to her abuser…
Bay
find neutrality because it escapes you
Really? Are you?
Bay, I said I support *ALL* of the 9ers and would support any QB that JH would roll with. Based on that salary, it seems CK isn’t ready and isn’t starting this year. How about you? Do you support all of the 9ers and the QB of the 49ers??
For Smith I’ll begin with support but he’s on the shortest leash in the world with me. He’s our QB so I gotta be all in. I’ve never ever cheered against him.
But if we get more low production, similar stats and a QBR that is beefed up with checkdowns I’ll be all over his a$$ as usual.
It’s his last year and he knows it unless he steps it up. The FO has made that crystal clear.
It’s a tougher schedule so they’ll need to open it up. GR better sharpen his pencil and call some better plays around the goal line as well. Damn, I wish the first game was next week!! lol
Not everyone see it your way bay…
http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2012/03/49ers-sweetend-their-offer-to-alex-smith.html
TXT using local blog info to support your stance is desperate. The entire NFL told us Alex’s value this last week. It was good.
For Smith I’ll begin with support but he’s on the shortest leash in the world with me.
I am sure that will keep him up at night.
By the way, what you described isn’t even close to actually supporting Smith. But since you are only in this argument to defend your previously wrong opinions about him, no one expects you to be neutral, objective or rational.
Claude,
the FO agrees with me, the entire NFL shares my opinion on Smith. But what will keep me up at night is that you don’t share my view……
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ7xfvFgZ1E&feature=youtube_gdata_player
This guy is better than Smith, let the Kaep show begin!!!
That was cool, I am a believer, Kaep is the real deal. Seeya Alex.
Press release from Harbaugh.
Stayed in bed all morning just to pass the time
There’s something wrong here
There can be no denying
One of us is changing
Or maybe we’ve just stopped trying
And it’s too late baby, now it’s too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died and I can’t hide
And I just can’t fake it
It used to be so easy living here with you
You were light and breezy
And I knew just what to do
Now you look so unhappy
And I feel like a fool
And it’s too late baby, now it’s too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died
and I can’t hide it
And I just can’t fake it
There’ll be good times again for me and you
But we just can’t stay together
Don’t you feel it too
Still I’m glad for what we had
And how I once loved you
But it’s too late baby, now it’s too late
Though we really did try to make it
Something inside has died and I can’t hide
And I just can’t fake it
BAAAA ha ha ha ha… that was good!
Nice. I love sport science. If Alex does sign he’ll be lookin over his shoulder.
I would like to see Smith on Sports Science, maybe he would complain that his targets weren’t getting enough seperation.
So all the JJ lovers are getting their wish. He’s scheduled a visit with the Niners…
I could care less about JJ, but I do believe Harbaugh could get similiar results out of him.
Alex, you need to understand that he is being treated based on how you performed last year. Our poor defense would pound teams into submission, and 75% of the time we could not even get a first down.
Don’t think that you hit the “Elite” status with that Saints game. There were two full quarters in between the perfect start and the hero’s finish that you transformed into “The Other Alex”… it was pathetic. The same thing happened with the Giant’s game, so many chances… an “Elite” QB would have finished.
Bottom line; you need to be consistent. Once you are consistent, you can take whatever you want (like Payton). For now, take what you’re worth… prove that you’re more… take what you want. Easy.
My question has always been, how many games would they have won last year with an average defense?
Big P,
Once again, I’ll answer the question for you. We don’t know. Why? Because they didn’t have an average defense last year, they had a great defense. Putting a number on it is conjecture.
The 49ers’ win total certainly would’ve been less, but there is no way to know how many fewer games the they would’ve won.
How many games would they have won if they had signed Kevin Kolb, Matt Hasselbeck, Donovan McNabb, or any of the other failed QB’s that so many wanted the 49ers to bring in last year? I realize, just like your question, there is no answer. Just trying to make a point.
Same outcome with another average QB
when the defense played less than average or when other offense was too much for defense AS/offense did fill in enough to bring the win, if he hadn’t then those games were losses…..
so if the the defense was average who can guess how much the offense would have been forced to open up….but when it did we were treated to some very good production…like 199 yds in a quarter….and we saw those things in the distance past when the niners were not that good as well like seattle and houston….maybe at the beginning of this past season the niners offensive unit did not have the system ingrained with the revamped coaching staff…..and gore led offense did go on a 5 game power offense followed by a offensively enlightened VD in some of the following games……and at the same time the physical abilities of the WR unit was decimated which the offense couldn’t overcome because for some reason the run game didn’t really return to midseason form….but through all these transitions AS has demonstrated some shining moments…..yes we need to see consistency in offensive production….so with consistency in offense which i am hoping manningham and moss can help smooth out i tend to believe the offense will be more productive and on top of that have moments of dominance….if JH’s game controlling philosophy allows it….and this is not a knock on JH because he is unbelievably better than the in game management we witnessed from nolan and singletary….
whether you guys know my stance or not i cannot assume an unknown entity(QB) even though they are proven average would have stepped up as AS has down in a number of instances this year….those were AS moments and i am not going to demean them by suggesting anybody could have done it…..
i think raij has provided some pretty balanced supportive data suggesting AS has demonstrated what i consider very good effectiveness basically since he has come back from those shoulder surgeries…..yet for a number of reasons this past year 3rd down efficiencies were gross and redzone was less than average as compared to AS past success in those areas….so i remain optimistic these will be addressed this next offseason and training camps with more repetitions and the addition of a couple of WR…..
Once again, Alex is not asking to be paid like an elite qb. He’s not even asking to be paid as well as the top 16 qbs in the league. Baalke is demanding that he become the 20th-highest paid qb, the lowest-paid veteran established starting qb in the league. Earlier in this thread I posted the 19 qbs who got better contracts than the 3 years, $24m Baalke is sticking to. If he can’t budge slightly off of that and come to a compromise, then I fully support Alex not ceding to his demands.
Who is going to pay him more? Who is offering him a starting position? Nobody. The priority for the team is to have the capability to move on without a large financial consequence if they go to Kaepernick.
It’s dangerous to team chemistry for management to disrespect the starting QB like this. Alex may have been severely undermined in the locker room, and he’ll have to deal with Moss and Manningham, in addition to Crabtree already disrespecting him for years.
BigP, Alex doesn’t have to play for anyone. People act like he has to play for us because no one will pay him more or offer him a better opportunity, but I’m betting his life would be just fine without the NFL altogether. If the 49ers won’t give him a respectable offer for what he accomplished last season, maybe his self-respect is worth more to him than money.
Gore didn’t sound too worried about team chemistry when he thought Manning might sign. It’s about winning a championship.
Raiq,
You are right, he doesn’t have to play for anybody. What would that tell you about him if that is the path he chose? Football isn’t important. His best bet is to sign a one year deal and ball out if he wants to get paid more.
They all say that stuff. Vernon said he’d love to catch passes from McNabb, too.
They aren’t going to say anything negative about other players because they never know year-to-year who their team mates are going to be.
Team chemistry is crucial to winning a championship. Right now Jed York and the media are trying to undermine Alex with the team and the fans, make him out to be the guilty party when Baalke is the one who won’t budge an inch from paying Alex like a below-average QB.
Football is obviously very important to Alex. No QB has faced so much adversity and still pulled through. But there is a limit to all things.
I don’t know about the bad guy thing but Baalke and Jed are known to have set a pretty concrete precedent with previous contracts. They set a value on a player and there’s no wiggle room from what I’ve heard. You sign it or you walk.
I don’t have a problem with that approach.
Just wish their deeds matched the rhetoric. They made the BIG mistake of letting everyone out to Mars know how much they LOVED Smith and then it was… “well oops, I secretly went to Vegas in the middle of the night and cheated on you. Sorry dear, let’s make up.”
The lesson here is let’s not get so overly-friendly with the players – I think. Maybe. I don’t know. I mean it was that camaraderie that worked for Harbaugh to begin with. Now? Who knows what.
Raiq,
If Smith decided to walk away, that would be akin to saying he was taking his ball and going home. That wouldn’t be a move that would garner much respect.
Alex is putting his career in peril right now. If the Niners pull the plug and move on without him, he’s scrambling to find a backup job somewhere and there’s a very good chance his career as a starter will be over.
All because of some hurt feelings and/or not liking the the lack of loyalty being shown with the contract offer. The guy needs to get his sh*t together and work something out before he has no decision to make.
And I’ve been wondering when that “Take it or leave it” approach would backfire. Agents can’t and won’t allow themselves to be manhandled by a GM. If Alex allows Baalke to get him without compromising one penny, it may be his agent that fires him.
Adam,
I agree with you there. Harbaugh was probably too buddy-buddy with Smith, which lead to this situation. The flip side is that he maximized Smith’s confidence during the season. Maybe he should have asked PW to caddy for him.
rocket, no, it would be akin to saying he’s not going to play under any circumstances, just accept however much disrespect a team dishes out and whatever lowball offer they refuse to compromise on.
It’s not a low-ball offer if nobody else is offering to pay more. People laughed at the Jets for giving the Sanchize more money, he didn’t deserve it. No need to follow in the foot steps of mistakes.
Yes, Baalke may be able to get away with the offer, but that doesn’t mean Alex doesn’t deserve more. It’s a lowball offer for what Alex accomplished and the potential he’s shown. He should be and is worth a lot more to the 49ers than any other team.
Most everyone in the NFL thinks we have an elite OL and running game and give 100% of the credit for Alex’s improvement to Harbaugh. They have no clue what Alex had to deal with here last season, nor that Harbaugh’s arrival coincided his severe regression in the red zone and in taking sacks. Our team should know better.
Raiq,
A players worth is what the market says it is. Your value is whatever a team is willing to pay you. Smith’s value to the Niners has been set. If he doesn’t take it, his value goes down considerably to what the next team will pay him.
What Smith deserves and what his value is, are two different things. If you go by what some other QB’s have received who are around the same talent level, then yes he does deserve more. The problem is, you need to convince a team of that, and the Niners aren’t listening. They are set with the value they have placed on him.
Raiq,
It’s a business. What you just said doesn’t make any sense. The Niners should pay him more then what other teams are offering him? Guess what? The offer they have on the table is more then what other teams are offering him!
rocket, once again, I’m not just talking about market value. Alex doesn’t have to play for market value. He can set his own value and do other things if no team decides to meet it. Then Baalke can decide if his pride is more important than compromising with Alex to help us win a SB.
BigP, that’s not clear at all. There were many reports that the Dolphins offered Alex a multi-year $8 million a year deal. We don’t know if those reports were accurate, nor how their offer compared to SF’s in terms of guarantees and incentives, but they seem to have been in the ballpark since they met with Alex for 5 1/2 hours Sunday and then again with his agent on Monday.
Again, they didn’t offer more money. You are not making sense. Sounds like Smith is about to sign the same contract that has been on the table for quite some time now. I guess he realized that he can’t get more then what the Niners are offering.
@Raiq
There’s no disrespecting going on here. Alex created this whole fiasco by not signing. He could have signed before the start of free agency and none of this would have happened.
Whittle Alex is pissed and hurt. Wee Wee. The Niner’s are not budging. His wife is crushing his balls to sign and pull the trigger. But he can’t. It’s a hard habit to break – I suppose.
BigP, once again, it’s not clear that Miami didn’t match our offer.
I predicted earlier in this thread that Smith would cave. It’s no surprise to me. Obviously playing football is still extremely important to him, enough to take all the crap he gets from the team, the fans and the media.
EcoEnrico, demanding that Alex accept becoming the lowest-paid established veteran starter in the league is disrespect. That’s a fact after what he accomplished last season.
According to Chris Mortensen, Smith was never given a Terms Agreement. There are indications that the whole process was a stall to limit other teams’ interest in Smith while they secretely went after Peyton, hoping to preserve Smith as a fallback option. The reports that Alex could’ve signed earlier have not been verified, and may never be. By the time Alex and other teams found out about our pursuit of Peyton, many teams had already filled QB slots and Flynn had already met with Seattle.
Mortensen just claimed Alex & 49ers are “very close”. We’ll see.
Yeah, they’re both in Santa Clara. That’s close :)
Josh Johnson is Troy Smith but younger. Our season is over if alex doesn’t sign. He’s complete trash. I can’t believe this is happening.
OPTION 1! Why would you basically commit career suicide just to spite the niners. He needs to dry his tears and sign the contract. Superbowl caliber team and garunteed starter…….Or……….Toiletbowl team and compete to be starter. You would pick #2 Grant?? Can’t wrap my head around that.
Att Maiocco tweeted that Peyton Manning said he could have seen himself in a 49er uniform thats why the decision was so hard.
here’s selected transcript
oops,
http://www.csnbayarea.com/football-san-francisco-niners/niners-talk/Manning-I-very-easily-could-have-seen-my?blockID=673724&feedID=2800
actually kinda funny address:
“I very easily could have seen my?”
If I was Alex Smith, I’d retire. ;)
Maybe he should take a year off, as Stan said I am sure he will still be available.
He’ll re-sign. It’s a pride/ego thing. And actually it’s screwy any way he goes here. Nothing is really the right move.
I love the simple game of football but man, I sure hate what the business and marketing part of this has become.
Is there someone with a box cutter on Josh johnsons flight?
Relax dude, his visit is contingent on Alex Smith signing. but you might also want to physically assault these guys they tried out yesterday:
QB Brian Brohm — Second-round pick of the Green Bay Packers in 2008, Brohm last played for the Buffalo Bills in 2010, when he completed 10 of 23 passes for 106 yards and three interceptions. On a tryout with the New Orleans Saints a couple weeks ago, Brohm threw passes to Moss.
QB Matt Gutierrez — The former De La Salle High star spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons with the New England Patriots before playing in one game with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2009. He went to camp with the Washington Redskins last year.
The press democrat should sign a free agent reporter to compete with Grant Cohn for the blog writer job.
During this offseason, all Grant does is sit around and write blog entries about how much he hates Alex Smith and want him out of the team. The topic (or hidden topic) of every blog entry was get Alex out of SF. OK we got it Grant, you don’t like him, fair enough, but you write ridiculous entrys about how the niners should bring everyone but Smith at QB instead of doing your real job, go out there and try to get his comment for what happend. try to get Baalke’s comment, or Harbaugh’s comment. Take an example from one of your predecessors here, Maiocco. when everybody was angry of crabtree holding out. he went out there and actully looked for news, trying to get his comment or his agent comment, and, what do you know, he ended up reporting the whole nation about the secret contract talk that were taking place.
All you do now is writing a 5 year old level controversial blog entries to attract comments. Go out and start Doing your job. you brought no news in this offseason. you supose to have connections at the niners and yet you didn’t mange to report any of their recent signings. why should Schefter and Mortensen get your scoop?? Go out there and start doing your job!!! bring us real news, or comments from the players/organization.
This blog has a great Legacy with Maiocco and Branch, 2 excellent reporters. and as of now, you are pretty much the Alex Smith of this blog, mediocre at best. don’t be suppriesed if one day your editor wakes up one day and cut you, because you don’t get the job done.
You sound angry, Roy. Do people in Israel get angry?
I’m angry that this blog that I used to love became what it is now, and instead of leaving it i’m urging to owner to step up his game.
This was my first comment in the blog but i read it regulary
+1
I wish there was an ombudsman for the PD
On the other hand, Grant gets a ton more comments than MM ever did. Seems to me he’s doing his job well.
Of course. Grant write controversial posts for this purpose only. I don’t think he really believe in what he writes.
One good thing about Grant, he’s much more active in the blog then both MM and Branch were. that also keeps the disscution alive
this is a very rich topic.
if the question were, “if you had the skills to play QB in the NFL, had started for 7 years, finally gotten to the playoffs and then had this happen, would you re-sign with the Niners?” In this case, I would go to Miami or anywhere else. You have to have faith in your abilities, and if I was in this situation (and already rich, by definition), i’d walk.
but we are talking about Alex Smith. I think he’s a competent QB, but i dont think he quite has the talent to lift a mediocre team to the playoffs, much less to greatness. moreover, i dont think he has the confidence in his abilities to say “screw you SF, i gave you everything i had, I’m going to go somewhere else and win”. So i think Alex signs back with the Niners.
Either way, i’ll root for the kid.
Lmao Josh Johnson to vistit 49ers Alex they dont want you!!!!
Tebow to Jacksonville?..Yahoo sports sez.
Stan,
When Manning was introduced to the Denver press conference, they were playing the song, if I can talk to the animals.
I watched the Manning presser at lunch and the interview with Rich Eisen.
The man has a ton of class. I especially liked his answer to Eisen about the guys he may have replaced (and will in Tebow’s case.) Showed them a ton of respect.
Just a boatload of class, that guy.
I find it hard to believe people didn’t want him here.
class? you call a money grab class?
His deal is basically a one year $18 million deal if he gets injured again. The Broncos aren’t stupid.
There might be some legitimate health concerns but other than that…? Maybe some normal wear and tear and age, might be too expensive.
But yeah, I don’t see how anyone could personally dislike the guy. He’s a good player and more importantly a class act.
Some of us don’t like the way the Niners part of it went down with Smith but that doesn’t have anything to do with Manning.
Drew brees cant even get mannings contract healthy stright money grab from peyton.
Not a money grab, the market determined his worth. It is what it is. Supply and demand, my friend.
i would never give 100 mill to a 36 year old qb coming from neck problems why can he get that and drew brees cant from the saints hmmmm?
BigP just explained it to you.
The Broncos aren’t stupid. They covered themselves in the contract in the event he gets injured again.
J johnson comes to the niners i say 0 percent chance we make playoffs rather have CK
Posted by Evan Silva on March 20, 2012, 6:05 PM EDT
Getty Images
“In a Tuesday phone interview with Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News, free agent quarterback Josh Johnson revealed that he has received interest from the 49ers and Redskins since the signing period began last Tuesday.”
The ORG does not seem ready to blink in the Alex/49ers saga. Jed York has made it clear that “it’s up to Alex,” and Alex may have some other team interested but he/TC are not revealing it.
If Alex is holding out because he feels betrayed with the PM courting he needs to get over it quickly and sign what’s on the table. The 49ers are not in panic mode and may soon sign a F/A QB. This will only decrease Alex’ bargining leverage. The 49ers went 14-4 with Alex at the helm (a phenomenal year), but we could easily get in the playoffs with 10-6 season with CK7 or possibly J.Johnson and then make another strong run at a Superbowl.
Alex is going to turn into late night comedian material, he is going to be laugh at more on what he does off the field instead of what he does on the field. He can’t pull the trigger, he can’t make a decision, he is turning into the NFL buffoon of the decade. If he has a much better year this year then last year, he will get MO money, do it two years in a row, and maybe if you can make more third down conversions you might make MO money thru incentives.Maybe if you can make a few more checks down the field instead of meaningless 3 yard pass and not throw worm burners at Crabs feet, or 20 yards over his head you can make MO money.
@Neal:
What’s with the impatience and the unnecessary timetables? Just because the parties have not yet agreed on contract terms does not mean Smith cannot make a decision. What’s the rush? Players can’t even take part in team activities right now.
And buffoon of the decade? The past ten years have included the buffoonery of Dan Snyder, Al Davis, Bud Adams, Terry Donahue, Mike Singletary, Jamarcus Russell, Pacman Jones, Plaxico Burress, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Albert Haynesworth, Onterrio Smith, the Vikings’ Love Boat, and dozens of other examples.
You don’t like Smith. We get it. But you’re just embarrassing yourself.
I am embarrassing myself, your name alone puts you in that category, plus 80% of this blog is anti Smithy.
“plus 80% of this blog is anti Smithy.”
You haven’t been here long. Your 80% is a pipe dream, not even close.
I give ya props for trying though.
I’d say 80% of the insults are thrown by the anti-Smith crowd.
And that would be conservative. And often the pro Smith crowd fires back the remaining 20% in reply to the 80%,
@neal
Well, where else did you expect AS to throw it to Crabs?
When it was aimed right in his hands, he dropped it. So, that leaves AS to throw it low, high, or to the side.
If MC is all that, how come other teams are not clamoring down the door wanting to trade for him before his contract year and he enters FA then, huh?
If I was Alex Smith I’d walk around with a smoldering chip on my shoulder and use that anger to fuel a great season and I’d tell Baalke and Harbaugh to stick it you know where every time they approach for the congratulatory bear hug. That’s just me.
That would be me, too. I have no diplomacy filter and zero tolerance for BS. I have tourettes when it comes to that sort of stuff, I’m liable to call you the C word and punch you in the face. :P
But… on a serious note, here’s something I was just thinking about: if he comes back, let’s hope he doesn’t try to do too much and force things. His motivation can be whatever he wants, anger, revenge, whatever, just as long as he doesn’t mail it in and cruise or worse… try to prove a point and force things and make a bunch of mistakes.
He had some nice gradual improvement going on. Let’s hope somehow it stays that way.
@Adam
By “not forcing it” do you mean “not throwing open a WR” who is not doing their job in getting open in the first place?
That’s a lot of “nots!”
But yes, something like that. The receivers should be better in any case (although Moss will have to prove to me he can do this – I’m suspicious, seems like a PR move.)
@Adam
I am not really confident in our receivers right now.
Moss can be very good. But he can also sit at the LOS picking his nose and flinging it from his fingernail at the CB when he finally does decide to run his route (little vet trick to get open).
Manningham is probably better than MC, but was he looking for a nice payday? How much was he making anyway now? Consider also that he was never remotely the #1 WR and there is reasonable cause for concern.
And of course there is MC. Will he ever go to and finish camp without a foot injury. In the medical world an injury that is bothering you for 3 years (as his has) is called chronic. That means it really is not going to go away, and reality is this is what you will get. He will not get better health wise and he needs to get better health wise to become the WR I certainly hoped he would be.
That is why I want LF or Wallace so freaking badly. A known currently great WR who demands the double teams. Will open up VD and the running game, and all of a sudden it is no longer a given the Niners will be blitzed and the OL is outnumbered on every play.
Kaepernick just tweeted: “shout out to all the 49er fans for their support right now! im grindin for yall!!!”
Cool. If the Org goes with him, i’m all in. But if they go with Alex, i’m all in with that as well.
Go 49ers!
I’m old, what does Grindin’ mean? Is that a gangsta thing?
It means working hard. Makes a verb out of “the daily grind.”
Gotcha.
Or… I understand.
:P
Once again Grant, ESPN beat you to the News.
RT @espn ESPN NFL Sources: 49ers, Alex Smith near deal http://es.pn/GBDgvx > NFL world awaits
Your job is to cover the niners only, and someone beat you to the news.
Do your job!!!
You’re not very nice.
Just thought I’d throw that out there.
Why? because I express my critique on the blog in the comments?
I didn’t cursed or used any bad language.
Hey dude from Israel,
Are you jealous? Give it a break dude.
Because… you’re not very nice. Simple as that.
Why don’t you ask Grant what his approach is with this site instead of throwing bombs?
Maybe he wants it to be different than how the other guys ran it.
And actually… I hate drama and I have no filter for this kinda stuff, as mentioned above, so let’s stick to football. ;)
I have every right to express my thoughts about this blog, and the blog writer in the comments.
Was I too harsh? maybe, but that’s what I think. If that is considered by you as not being nice, so be it.
And to football news. Alex signed his contract according to NFL network.
Another reporter who does his job…
Matt Barrows @mattbarrows
49ers negotiator Paraag Marathe still in his office. RT @espn ESPN NFL Sources: 49ers, Alex Smith near deal http://es.pn/GBDgvx
Go CK! Grind away were all waiting for you to kick some butt!
Grant,
Interesting! Can you get a sense of how the other 49er players are reacting to the Alex situation? Do they think the FO is being too hard-nosed, or are they thinking that it is only fair Alex gets treated like everyone else (Goldson, Morgan, Snyder, Ginn, etc)?
Your hatred of Alex is leading you far away from logic, Grant. If the timeline we’re presented is correct, here’s what happened: AS had six bad years and one good one, then got a 3yr/$24m/$10m-guaranteed offer to stay with the team that had stuck with him through thick and thin, with a great defense, a sympathetic coach and his best (maybe only) chance to succeed n the NFL. And he didn’t sign. For whatever reason, he left the Niners hanging. Then they got the chance to add one of the greatest of all time. They would have been negligent not to investigate the possibility, so they did. They didn’t get him, and said to AS, hey, the offer still stands … as Seattle and Miami don’t sign you. So where in that sequence did the Niners “betray” Alex? Where in those facts does Cleveland become anything but a “cut off your nose to spite your face” spite signing — assuming they even want him, or that he could beat out Colt McCoy? Grant, I know you desperately want AS out of here, but he’s the best choice available for this team — a team that could win it all this year, 2012/13. If he gets over his hurt feelings, this offense could fly with Moss, Manningham (and maybe Fleener) and a squad with one more year of experience in it. So why not put your AS hatred aside and think of what’s best for the Niners? If you truly, truly would go with Option No. 2, it means that you would rather NOT win a Super Bowl. Hopefully Alex is in pro football because he wants to win.
Alex will sign with the 49ers very soon.
Logic prevails as Smith, 49ers close
March, 20, 2012 Mar 20 4:29 PM PST
By Mike Sando
Perhaps the work “close” in Sando’s title indicates some give and take on both sides. If Alex Smith is coming back, I hope that’s what it means.
work > word
1 The feeling around the NFL and other football sources agree that Alex Sm
ith is an absolute zero without JH
2. Smith has already cashed in more that 40 million in checks from the 49er’s and given what in return?
3. Smith should take whatever they have to offer and be grateful.
Not that it matters but it’s more like $38M total.
Grant was that you who posted under your name and photo on BASG blog?..or no?
Keapernik sucks. He’s clueless on the field. At least he won’t touch the field for 3 years or more.
Sure, you have a lot of credibility when it comes to evaluating QBs
Dumb.
Smith is about to sign the offer that has been on the table. A bunch of drama.
Great news. Smith has bailed us out after poor management nearly led to a debacle. Once again Smith gets crapped on and takes it. I don’t know how he does it. I really don’t.
Now resume the Smith bashing.
He takes it because he doesn’t have any options, other then retirement. Poor management = not overpaying for a player in your eyes. Lol.
Once again, your assumption which flies in the face of reports that Miami offered him a comparable deal, but that Smith preferred to play here even if it was for less money.
Poor management = disrespecting the starting QB and threatening team chemistry. Now everyone on the team may be questioning Harbaugh’s sincerity and whether or not he’s just whispering sweet nothings in their ears.
Raiq,
Your agenda is crystal clear. You should apply for a GM job somewhere in the NFC West other than the Niners.
As usual, Smith detractors lose the argument and resort to personal attacks.
Nothing you said made sense. According to you, his great leverage was not playing and living life. Okaaaaaay. In the end, he signed the same deal that was offered. Enough said.
@Raiq
BigP does that A LOT.
He also does not know how to quote you correctly either. He cuts sentences off and places periods where you had none.
So if you were to write:
“I dislike so and so, not”
BigP will quote you as saying “I dislike so and so.”
And refuses to admit that he completely changes the meaning of what you wrote by doing so. And that there was nothing wrong with doing that. Hence I don’t converse with him often.
If Alex elevates his game beyond average, his crap taking days will be over.
He already did that. They just refuse to acknowledge it.
The Niners “betrayed” Alex? What are you buying into your dad’s bias against Harbaugh, too? The two parties are going to kiss and make up soon and you and your Dad are going to look like idiots. Congratulations, family Cohn! The Niners will go on and be successful even though you are hoping that they fail.
If you think the media covering the niners want them to fail… I dont know. We are big news because of the success the niners are having. I think the media would want the national coverage. More interviews etc.
So you think if the niners offered him $400 a game he should take it? Fricken Jason Campbell got 8M to backup. If I offered you a job I would pay you $9 an hour and just take it! Oh and your going to be at will. Not vested. Come on now. If the offer is fare then take it. If it is year to year I would look elsewhere too. No worries. He will sign or we roll with CK.
The Niner’s QB position – as the team is currently contructed – is simply PLUG and PLAY. You can plug any number of QBs and get the same result. Sorry Alex, you need to realize this and be thankful that $24million is still on the table.
The original three years at $24M may not be exactly the same as the soon to be completed contract for the same time and overall dollars. It’s all in the dirty details.
If it’s $5 more the Smitties will declare victory, lol. Kaep is coming Alex.
It’ll be interesting to see if the 49ers also add JJ to the roster. Won’t that make the bloggers happy.
I hope not, I’d like to see them keep Tolzien.
Remember what Ving Rhames said to Bruce Willis about pride in pulp fiction? Alex has two choices. One is to take the money wherever he can find it. Go down in NFL history as a mostly losing game manager. The other option is to find a Super Bowl ready team and vindicate his name by winning the big games. The Niners are the only obvious Super Bowl contender who has a vacancy at the QB position. So like Ving Rhames I tell Alex that his emotions are just pride F-ing with him. F-Pride. Take the deal. Have a winning season or two, send Colin K packing, and make a place for yourself in NFL history. For a guy who is going to make over 100 million in his career that is worth more than a few % more in career salary.
The Gimp disagrees.
Add JJ I guess we cut the #3? Are we good with that? I dont know. Having JJ start this year? No.
Alex Smith signs with 49ERS….Lowell-BINGO!
Alex agrees to contract.
I would acknowledge that after seven years of questionable performance I had a year that indicates some potential. I would insist upon a one or two year contract at 10 mil a year.
I would do that if I was sure in myself and knew that I would make even more after next years FA.
Alex is a PRO! He’s gone threw so damn much with the 9ers why would this be a big surprise or even an insult as some would suggest. EVERYONE KNOWS if P. Manning calls & says hey what do you think you listen. Only morons would “Stay Loyal” & not hear what Manning wanted! The TEAM always comes 1st & Alex knows this. Bottom line he signs the dotted line & we’re going to the SUPERBOWL!!!!!
@Big Frank
Almost a great post.
You needed to add
“…and winning it!” the the end of it. lol
*to* the end of it.
Alex just sign the dam deal!!!!!and piss off all the whiners, you’ve got nothing to lose…………..no pressure….. you’ve made enough money and you are calling the shots…………DAM IT’S A GOOD DAY TO PISS OFF THE WHINERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AS got $16.5 guaranteed! I’d say that was a WIN over the FO. lol
@hof
I don’t want anybody in the Niner organization to win over anybody else in the Niner organization.
That just makes one loser and one winner. Know what that means?
0.500. And we are not settling for that again!