Peyton Manning chose to sign with the Broncos this morning, according to Chris Mortenson.
What a bad choice by Manning. His chances of winning a Super Bowl in Denver are modest at best (the team is no big deal), and the chances of reinjuring his brittle neck soar in the mile-high cold (To read my dad’s take on Manning’s decision: click here).
But, those are the Broncos’ issues. Now the Niners have their own problem. Should they:
1. Sign Alex Smith.
2. Or sign WR Mike Wallace and start Colin Kaepernick?
Signing Smith is the obvious choice. The Niners are a Super Bowl team – they owe it to themselves to start a quarterback who is experienced.
But, Mike Wallace is a better player at his position – wide receiver – than Alex Smith is at his position – quarterback. It would make the Niners better going forward to sign Wallace.
I’d gamble on Wallace and Kaepernick. My dad would take Alex Smith, and here’s his reasoning. So, it’s Cohn vs. Cohn at the dinning room table of the Cohn Zohn in our media empire.
Who would you take, Smith or Wallace?
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I have to admit. The second option sure does sound nice.
Out of curiosity, why is signing both Smith and Wallace not an option?
Cap space, I believe. Too much $$
Yet we could sign Peyton for $90m ???
Yeah, why not both. Alex at 8 million Wallace at 10 million is still only 18 million? Peyton is getting 5 yr 90+ million .
I predict Manning actually will not sign with denver as reported. Manning will let this thing drag on for a couple more weeks, then on April 1st Jim Irsay will tweet to the world that this whole thing has been an elaborate April Fools joke and he will sign him back to finish out his career with Indy.
The Colts then trade for the boatload of picks with the Browns, who felt screwed out of the Rams deal, for the rights to Luck and rebuild the team.
Reggie Wayne was in on it from the start and that’s why he’s already re-signed.
ESPN then reports Alex Smith will sign with the Miami Dolphins. Alex then holds a press conference and rips off his Miami jersey to reveal a 49ers jersey underneath. He hits Dolphins owner Stephen Ross over the head with a chair WWE style and spray paints “49ers 4 LIFE” over his body.
Because its NOT official yet. Just like we thought Alex would sign with the 9ers a long time ago, he didn’t! This news is basically unofficial.
What a strange and creative mind you have! Good pick of a screen name, George!
I LOVE THIS HAHA :D
ill choose the latter kind sir, keep up the good work!
How about both ?
just draft a stud RB and we’re going to be back in the championship game again.
Turbin
Where’s MD??!! I said Tenn and he said Denv – now did AS get that call yesterday in Mia??!! Yes sign AS and MW!!
Lol told you bro. Someone looking for a job and has one suitor doesn’t turn that money down after saying he’s angry with a team. The 49ers knew yesterday that manning wasn’t coming and I said he would be signing this morning.
Reason 1 manning doesn’t fit the San fransisco profile. He is a private southern boy. I didn’t see him liking San fransisco
2 we haven’t landed a big name FA since deon. I think we used up all of the big name FA luck in the 80′s and 90′s
3.. Alex smith will die a 49er. After worst things that have happened before. This isn’t anything new. The man can take slaps in the face better than any human living. Lol
As far as mike Wallace. I can’t see the FO pursuing him now. After the manningham signing. And smith or ck. look like I said smith isn’t going anywhere. He’s screwed right now. If he comes back some will say he’s dumb and has no pride. If he leaves he’d BE dumb because he will not succeed with out this team. Harbaugh the same. He had to strike smith last year to build his broken down confidence. Now it seemed he created an ego monster. Harbaugh is going to have to get his mouth piece and raw raw talk better than before. How can smith truly trust what he’s telling him. Harbaugh has to put it as a “hey kid this is business” and put a little blame on smith for not signing the contract” talk. The chance they took had some repercussion’ and one was smiths psyche and the other was missing out on the top tier wr’ that’s already signed elsewhere.
Bottom line is there is no ck to Wallace or smith with what we have now. We all know the answer. Smith isn’t going anywhere! But damn it feels good that my gut is still doing his thing. Lol
Chuckle…chuckle…chuckle…
If you read the blog Grant, guess who I want on this team?
And, I don’t know why you are saying it can only be one or the other (AS or Wallace).
You get both, the Niners win the Super Bowl. You get CK in right now, you may not win so quickly.
Option 1, easily. Maybe if we didn’t snag Manningham – I’d consider option 2. I’d say the 49ers feel pretty good about their corps right now. Sure, Mike Wallace is a phenomenal player, but at what cost? Smith has shown sparks of greatness, let’s see what he can do with a second year of continuity in the same system. Maybe a deep threat will be targeted in the 2nd/3rd round to replace Moss in the upcoming years.
Sparks of greatness? Ridiculous. 1 of 13 on 3rd down in the most important game of his career. Sign Wallace and it’s CK’s turn for greatness. CK tweeted that he didn’t come here to be #2 and I wholeheartedly agree. Bring in Josh Johnson and let them compete. Let’s say good-bye to Smith once and for all.
That one conversion was a penalty, not AS. So, nothing of note was done in the crunch in the NFC championship game. I guess he used up his mogo on New Orleans.
Never the less after one year in the system he could be better. I hope he can move on from this mutual business decision both he and the Niners made. Now come back together and make something happen.
I agree, get AS and Wallace comes at too high a price. We need a G or Fleener or to build a cheaper WR in the draft.
What about signing josh johnson real quick!
Why?
exactly…WHY that is the million dollar question!!!!!!
Both, AS first tho!
I think the Peter King went out on a limb on this one
I actually am relieved that he chose somewhere else. If this were the PM of his youth, I would wish for him to be a 9er.
I just think that the risks were much higher than the price we would have had to pay to acquire him
+1
IMO, it would have been a no-win situation. The expectation of Peyton to the Niners would be nothing less than winning the Superbowl. If he pulled it of with the Niners, his number is retired in Indianapolis and in 5 years his pictures go up in the Hall of Fame in an a Colts uniform. The 49ers rented a championship from the Colts and it’s Manning’s trophy, not theirs. And if they don’t win the Superbowl together, it’s a bust. Greg Roman is long gone. Harbaugh and Baalke’s jobs are on the block and, to keep Manning under the cap, guys like Frank Gore probably don’t retire as 49ers. Big risk for something we nearly pulled off without Manning. Don’t get me wrong, I’d have gotten over it after seeing Manning wear a Niners jersey but I love the guys we’ve got. They have a great story. I drank the kool aid. Win or lose, I’m their fan.
Hear hear!
Yeah, as good a guy as Peyton is, I’d MUCH rather see him play elsewhere, for a variety of reasons ($$$, age, injuries, post-season record). And I’d VERY MUCH prefer to see Alex return, and complete the arc he began last year with a Super Bowl win…though I don’t think it’s a lock that we can get him back at this point. If what we’ve been reading is true (and who knows?), it may be that Alex won’t believe a word Harbaugh says from here on out. Who could blame him?
I’d like to see him back too but word is that he’s continuing negotiations with Miami. Stay or go, the honeymoon is over between him and Harbaugh. I said it before: CK is Baalke’s QB – the first he drafted in his tenure as GM. I’d bet he was willing to risk losing Smith in a bid for Peyton because the worst case scenario is his draft choice gets the start.
Why can’t it be both again?
Grant?
It would take a big cap-hit in ’12 to sign Wallace away from the the Steelers – that’s my understanding. >$12 million.
But is that not regardless of AS?
Bad choice for Manning but life goes on with 49ers.
Now Alex has leverage. Let’s see how it pans out.
@AES
If PM was “all that” then he wouldn’t make such mistakes, right?
Blows a hole in the theory that PM is/will be “all that”.
If Smith was all that they wouldn’t have tried to replace him. Enough said.
Evidently the Org felt differently DS. I still believe they wanted PM, but if PM was not willing to bend on his financial demands it made the deal to risky.
Alex now has ‘Hand’ as George on Jerry Steinfeld once said (lol). The FO will make another offer to Alex and they likely meet in the middle. But one thing is certain in this weekend circus, Alex is not as established as he may have felt a month ago.
@AES
You said PM made a mistake that you don’t get by not coming here.
You have certainly implied a lot the last few days that PM is as close to a QB God as there is, and that PM as God is never wrong. Gods are not wrong.
The two don’t seem to mix well.
I’m not going to rip Manning for choosing Denver. The guy has been meticulous in his handling of this and obviously sees Denver as the best fit. Congrats to him, and now it’s time to move on to discussing our team.
I don’t see Wallace as an option they will consider. They’ve signed Moss and Manningham, and would be going against their strategy of building through the draft if they traded their 1st round pick.
I think Smith will be back and the plan that was in place until the past week or so, will be continued.
If not Wallace, then who rocket?
They have a lot more money than they need left in the purse. The last thing you want to look like as an organization is to look cheap when we were within an OT of the Super Bowl.
They will need to spend that money someplace. AS gets most of it not going to the rookie class?
DS,
They’ve spent a bunch of it already, and still haven’t signed Smith who will eat at least 6-8 mill of it. As somebody else pointed out, the only way any team can sign Wallace is to guarantee a huge amoung of money in the first year so the Steelers can’t match. I don’t see how it fits. I’m not against it, I just don’t see it happening.
I’m thinking they will sign a vet OG, and start focusing on the draft.
ok rocket.
Gotta disagree aes. I don’t think Alex has anymore leverage than before. He’s going to swallow his pride again sign what they gave him the first time jump back on the horse and ride it again. It was done deal yesterday when he walked away from miami’ deal. There aren’t a lot of suiters wanting smith. And let’s keep it real. Where else does he have a strong team that can carry him? Deal gets done today. The same one that was on the table. Book it!
Don’t change Smiths original deal. Either he takes it or leaves it. Just like before. Niners didn’t offer him that deal because of Manning. It was on the table for over 2 months. His value to this team has been deteined. If he does not take it, we sign Josh Johnson and let him and Kap compete for the starting spot.
Manning didn’t give Smith leverage. He is still Alex Smith!
..why are you crying?…..
Niner1,
Never that son. Never that. No crying in football.
Jordo, do you work for the 9ers??! Why in the hell do you care how much the 9ers pay their QB. Will it make you feel better (or right) if AS signs for $8M versus $8.5M??!! Jeez!!
Boo whoo, boo whoo, once again, Mr. Prediction is wrong, I thought you said book it?
@FDM
Very soon now.
Tick…tock….tick….tock….tick…tock
Bye-bye 23J
Jordan,
I tried to warn you about make predictions that are absolutes. You can’t let personal feelings cloud your judgement.
I guess we are in for another year of Smith bashing.
If AS resigns rocket, then 23J vowed to leave.
And that counts for any other blogging name as well.
Sign Smith to the same deal that has been on the table. This team is ready to win now and I would have to think that Smith provides a better chance at this point then Kaepernick.
Big p,
What if smith does not sign the deal. Remember, it’s been on the table for months. Do you give smith more $$$ or years?
No, why would you? That’s not a slap at Smith, I just don’t why you would increase the offer if that is the value they placed on him.
Nobody really knows what transpired and if there was a deal on the table. The many of the details will start to leak out.
BigP,
I agree. I’d rather let Kap sit for another year, or at least give him competition before letting him take over.
If Smith doesn’t sign the deal and they are at an impasse, then I would guess the Josh Johnson suggestion is on the table.
The reality is that Harbaugh and Baalke are very high on Kaepernick. Harbaugh hand picked him. He is the future, and the contract to Smith reflects that. If Smith doesn’t want to sign, I’m sure Johnson would be able to produce similiar results under Harbaugh. It makes sense.
Kaep is a future option. I still think he needs 1 more year before he should truly understand the full system. Once he does, then we will see what happens out on the field. Until then, Smith should sign the deal given currently and prove to management and fans that he can be better than last year and improve upon his failings in certain areas.
Your right. Alex will sign the contract that was offered in the first place. The. 49 ers have more options than smith does. Jj, or ck. Alex had the dolphins. If anything they could throw maybe another mill at him for ego rights.. Lol if I was Alex and wasn’t wanted for a third time I’d make up an ego rights clause. But he’ll sign and the 49ers still have all of the leverage.
I don’t know if Alex will sign the original offer (assuming there actually WAS an original offer) or not, but that extra million you mentioned for “ego rights”… I hope he holds out for it, and I’d suggest he call it a “bad faith negotiating penalty”. I’d say the Niners owe him at least that much.
I doubt the team makes a play for Wallace at this point. Get Alex back, sign a guard, and have another stellar draft.
No.
The Niners would not be doing their due diligence if they didn’t try to get Wallace.
If they don’t get him, fine. But, they need to go after him.
Never say never DS, but I don’t see it happening. They’ve addressed the WR spot in FA, and will do so in the draft as well I’m guessing. The cost is too great for Wallace with the contract and 1st round pick.
Didn’t think I said the word “never” rocket.
Just playing with you. I know what you meant.
I just think the Niners go after the best players available. Just like last year. Going after NA. I was fine with not getting him (kind of relieved at the time actually), but if they didn’t make any effort to shore up our CB situation at all by going after the best? That would have upset me.
Same thing here. Though I think Wallace is easier to insert any offense (get immediate returns quicker) than any Raider CB is due to their near 100% man-man defense philosophy.
I agree DS; at least throw an offer up on the table that will make the Steelers fill their ‘cap’ . They know that we want him, and they’re not helping us, so let’s return the favor and just SEE what hits the fan…
Forget josh johnson everybody wants him because of Harbaugh he has proven nothing in the NFL tired of hearing his name rather have Alex…… he is going to do awesome with Harbaugh for a full year and now with the receivers we have hopefully we can draft or sign another receiver and bring back Ted Ginn just to return
Harbaugh is on record as saying JJ is the best athlete he’s ever coached. Of course, that was pre-Kaep…
I cannot believe there are persons still questioning Alex Smith!! The niner crowd who continue to be negative toward Smith refuse to let the records speak. It appears to me that Smith will only succeed in San Francisco if he changes his name to Montana. Pathetic band wagon riders.
The team just tried to replace him, there should be people questioning him.
Yes, tried to replace him with one of the greats of all time. Your logic would work if they tried to replace him with Hasslebeck, or some other mid to upper range QB. PM is an upgrade over any QB not named Brady or Rodgers. You make it sound like they tried to replace him with Tavaris Jackson.
If there weren’t questions about him, the team wouldn’t have tried to replace him with a 36 year old coming off of several neck surgeries. If you don’t see that, I don’t know what to tell you.
@Calistoga
The Niners did try to replace him with Hasslebeck last year.
Nick,
No they didn’t. I’ve read a few people make this statement about Hasselbeck and it’s not true. It’s nothing but an assumption made by a few fans after Hasselbeck said the Niners were one of the teams he was considering signing with. Smith was going to be signed no matter what Hasselbeck decided, and if he had chosen the Niners, there was going to be a competition for the starting job.
As to Larry’s point, Larry you have to try and improve every position every year. If you don’t, you aren’t doing your job. Manning would have been an upgrade at the QB position. Nothing wrong with trying to improve the team. It didn’t work out, and now they will refocus on the original plan of bringing Smith back and solidfying the offensive depth imo.
Yes they did !
And they did replace him with Hill after they replaceh him with JT or whatever his name was and then tried to get Warner and then tried to get Hasselbeck and then tried to get PM and when you look back on all that you realize even more why they moved up in the draft to get Kaep.
Ok Tim, post something to back up your belief then. This is nothing but a fabrication made up by a few fans like yourself after reading that Hasselbeck said the Niners were an option for him. The truth is that Smith was going to be resigned, and the team wanted to bring in another vet to compete with him. This idea that Hasselbeck was going to be handed the job is not true, and I guarantee you, you won’t find anything to back up that assertion.
I’ve also already blown up the theory that they were trying to replace him 3 years in a row. Singletary named him the unquestioned starter two years ago before TC even started. This is just more opinionated junk some of you are trying to pass off as fact.
I think the fact that they flew across Country and worked him ut and had their Dr check him over answers your question. Of course they persued him.
…and in denial much Rocket? lol
Rocket:
Here…Just one of dozens of references to the well known story…“My decision came down to San Francisco or Tennessee,” Hasselbeck said. “At the end of the day, that was my decision, and San Fran would have been attractive for a whole bunch of reasons … but at the end of the day, I think my conversation with (Munchak) and the offensive line here and a lot of stuff … just felt really good about it.”
Of course Alex would have still been here but we all know that a veteran who had been to the PB and to the SB and knew the WCO like the back of his hand would have easily taken the startingv spot ovcer alex,who up until 2011 was a disaster and who everyone said took at least a full year to learn a new offense,that Hasselbeck knew alredy. Get real,if Hasselbeck had come here he was starting. The Niners tried to get him but failed. I guess you don’t really believe they would have started PM over Alex either but it would have been “just a competition” LOL !!!
Tim,
So in other words: you can’t find anything that backs what you said, and it is your OPINION that you are basing your view on. Thanks for backing up exactly what I said you were doing.
I have no idea what you were talking about in the first post. They went cross country to work out who? Manning? I’m well aware of that. That still doesn’t answer your false statement of the Niners trying to replace him for the last few years.
They tried to replace him with Manning this year. Good move imo. Didn’t work out so on to the next one. They didn’t try to replace him last year when he was a FA and made him their priority to resign. Nobody tried to replace him the year before when Singletary named him the unquestioned starter going into TC.
You just go on throwing out half truths and opinions disguised as fact though Tim. You’re the one who winds up with egg on his face. Not me.
His last season effort is acknowledged by most. There’s always a vocal minority in anything, or crazy fringe groups on both sides of the curve. I wouldn’t let it bother you too much.
We’d be fine with Smith, Manning or even CK if he’s ready. This season will be a tougher schedule but we have guys now that have tasted success, they’ll step up and be ready.
My big beef is how the Niners and this guy Condon did this thing. I’d like to know more about that. Something stinks with that situation. I want to know who knew what and when.
This is one of those things where I understand trying to upgrade, but it should have been a done deal. I don’t know why you go through all of this if you aren’t sure you can get it done. It’s a lot of negative energy coming off of a positive season.
Adam, agreed. Two good articles on the subject were MPoole and RRatto. Let’s see how they handle damage control.
Manning’s people have implied that Condon was not in play until Manning made his choice. At that point (right now it seems) Condon will negotiate the details of the contract that’s already been outlined.
It looks like Condon will also be working on the details of Smith’s new contract with the 49ers.
Adam,
Personally, I don’t think anybody did anything wrong or backhanded. It’s been reported that Manning is the one who was spearheading the discussions with interested teams, and that when he chose one, Condon would then negotiate the contract. It put Condon in a tough spot, and Smith even moreso, but that’s the business sometimes.
Did the Niners ever publicly admit they were pursuing Manning?
Ribico,
No, but they didn’t deny it either.
I don’t care about keeping the manning thing from the media, but they should have told Smith what they were doing. He’s left to twist for days before he can finally get out and try out for someone else.
That’s not right.
Adam,
but they should have told Smith what they were doing. He’s left to twist for days before he can finally get out and try out for someone else.
Do we know this to be true? We’ve heard numerous rumors, theories, tweets and rhetoric, but do we know exactly what went down? Imo, we don’t, and until we do, I’m not going to throw anybody under the bus.
Smith is not an elite QB and probably never will be. Going after Wallace makes sense but they have to look at OG and they need more than Gore and Hunter at RB. Gore is slowing down and Hunter is not an every down back. We need another back that can make big plays regularly. Gore is great for 4 yards and some times breaking one for 20 but we need a guy that when the ball is in his hands he can take it to the house. I know that this is not a popular view because we all love Gore but he is on the down side of a great career.
I agree dmic ! We need a new stud RB and on that same subject I doubt Dixon is really good enough to remain long as the battering ram type,if he doesn’t break through this season. He has been a disapointment
Wo wo Calistoga…. Some on here thought pm wasn’t an upgrade. His age and neck and stats for the last couple of years didn’t out him on smiths level. In some’ eyes it was mediocre to elite. And with them trying to sign a mediocre qb and wanting to replace an elite qb. That is a slap in the face. It was an insult to replace smith with manning.
MD, who was that? A very select few!
C’mon hof. You know who they are. No need in pulling out names. Just look at last nights posts. Is what it is,
Grant,
Do you think the Niners will change their offer to Smith? Do you think they should?
I think they’ll stand firm. Why should they buckle because Smith is using the Dolphins for leverage? No one really wants to play for them, it seems like he’s posturing.
Not really the point Grant.
If the team is not better next year with CK, then you need to get AS back.
No way to tell if the Niners are going to be so great in 2014. Look at 2009. Some thought Niners might win some games and their division. But nobody thought in 2 years the Nines are an OT within the Super Bowl.
Predicting the future is very hard to do.
…why should we believe you……you pretty much have been wrong on the subject
Plus look for Mia to inquire about TTebow. That deal will be done in a couple of days!!
You don’t think anyone will take a chance and play for Philbin? Seriously?
I agree, the niners’ leverage is that Miami is, well Miami.. They also have CK just waiting to take over. The fact is that Smith has not one team that wants him. He has no choice but to accept the niners deal.
First things first. I am totally surprised that your father wrote anything positive about anyone. He has blown his Darth Vader of the press image. As for the quarterback situation I don’t believe that CK is ready to take over the roll of QB just yet. No more than AS was ready to start during his first year in the league. I would like to see Alex Smith come back because I think that he could take us to the Super bowl with the talent currently on the club. He now would have some top receivers and a mature offensive line. Especially if they sign a new starting guard. It is the business end that gets in the way of the sport. These athletes make more in one season than most people make in a lifetime and they are not happy because someone else is making more. I guess that is what the Europeans call a Value Added Tax on the clubs. What would AS power be if he did win the super bowl ? Talk about a renegotiated contract.
Jordo, are you all in with the NEW 9er QB. As Bay said yesterday, this is about TEAM. How about it JORDO??!!!
Troy Smith is probably still available. :P
Do the Niners give Smith more money alexfan11? Same deal, let’s see if he signs?
Jordo, no they’ll save AS’s money and give it to JJOHNSON!! lol
Isn’t Jordo always correct in his prognostications!!! LMAO.
..Hof…you are killing me!!!!!!
Smith still has the same deal. He got leverage from Miami?? Yeah right!!! Let’s see if Alex is smart enough to sign, now that he knows that there is nooooo market for him. Come back home out of the cold Alex. Same deal, your bluff didn’t work.
Jordy, what happened to you since the season ended?
Last season you and your posse were “happy” to eat crow. You were saying stuff like, “Alex Frickin’ Smith!!”
You were pumped like the rest of us.
So what changed? You were kind of a convert there at the end.
@Adam
That lasted for as long as his “truce” did.
Why should fans really have sides? Look Smith hasn’t lived up to his potential of a #1 pick yet. Still, he did a decent to solid job last year as our QB. Now, with his second year in Harbaugh’s system, I want to see him show continued improvement. If he doesn’t, then we move on to Kaep or whoever Harbaugh thinks should be given chance to compete for the position.
Hof: As usual I am all in with MY Niners…BUT if they put Chilo back at RG I will not be happy about that and will say so (unless he were to prove himself on the field to be a better player than I imagined. Same goes for alex,we are settling for a less than good player at QB but one who knows the system and should get better in 2011 and I will watch him like I would watch Chilo,with cheers and hope for a player starting on my team and hope that they improve greatly so we can keep winning .
tim, you along with MD and I never thought PM was coming here. You thought AS would be the starting QB. Let’s hope you continue to conduct yourself with class and no longer bashes AS because once he signs, he is one of 53 – all 9ers. Are you all in Tim?
Hof:
You know you don’t need to ask ME that question. I am and have been ALL in with MY team since the 70′s ! I am all in with Alex or whoever is playing on the field with my teams uniform on…But that goes for Chilo and whoever also. So,if my eyeball test tells me that they are not playing up to the standards I hope for as a fan,then don’t get mad if I say so. It doesn’t make me a “hater” to write it as I see it,it makes me a disappointed fanantic (if my thoughts and opinions are negative that is,hopefully I won’t ever need to write anything negative about alex or any player,but that seems unrealistic.).
Do mean the FO should behave like Jordo and renege on a stated offer? Highly doubtful, but thanks for trying.
No AS should sign for nothing like PM should have before choosing Denv. lol
Well time for a new crystal ball!
Denver would have been my last choice. Now we’ll see how strong Tebowmania truly is. P.Manning will hear the Tebow chants after a couple of bad INT’s. Bad choice for PM on many levels, period!
@AES
Sucky division in a conference you know in a system that you control for a ton of money, and the AFC just sucks next to the NFC.
That enough reasons for you
TTebow will go to Miami and be their big star. TBD.
Do you mean that even the lowly Dolphins wont want Alex now ?
Book that! Miami is the Disneyland of the nfl. It’s one big show and the team isn’t the main attraction. The owner can smell the money now. No brainer Hof! But then again. Brains on here are slim Pickens. Lol
Alex has grown a thick skin over the years. If we put in CK you can kiss 2012 goodbye. The right move for Alex is to come back to the Niners. On the other hand, I thought Peyton coming to SF was almost a sure thing. The one positive is that Miami has a first time head coach and seems to be a dysfunctional organization.
Not exactly Andrew. The Niners won last year despite of Alex. Now granted, Alex didn’t lose any games. He was asked to do one thing: manage the game. I’m getting the feeling that JH thinks he can pull that off with any number of QBs: AS, CK, Tolzien, JJ, DG, etc.
NickRow you could very well be right. At this moment Alex is not a member of the team, let’s see if the organization wants him back.
“The Niners won last year despite of Alex.”
I don’t know what analysis shows you’re watching but that statement is dead wrong. I understand you don’t like the guy and don’t like the guy’s supporters but that statement is flat out false.
And here we go back to the war of Alex Smith.
Nick:
Alex ,for the first time as a Niner,helped his team to win some games instead of being one of the main reasons they lost games,like in the previous 6 years. He was not a main reason they won most of their games in 2011,but he was not such a hindrance as he always was before and actually helped in some games. Of course if we had a better QB it would have been much easier to win and we certainly would have won several games by a larger margin and of course we would have overcome those fumbles in the Championship game and would have another Lombardi thrphy in the case right now…but Alex was not the disaster of the past in 2011 and did actually contribute in a good way several times throughout the year. Be fair !
@Adam and Tim,
To be fair, Alex did win a few games (the NO and Detroit games most notably and a few others). But, my point was that he was asked to manage the game and to minimize the mistakes.
I really hope that he’ll improve and that JH will put more trust in him to open things up. In other words, this year will tell if Alex can graduate from game manager to game changer.
“…he was asked to manage the game and to minimize the mistakes.”
Every QB is asked to do that.
Or if that’s a bad thing, how do you explain the Saints playoff game? So… he was asked to throw 300 yards and a bunch of TDs?
So if he was asked to do that in the playoffs, he can’t be asked to do that every game? Wouldn’t that solve the issue that most of his detractors like to throw out there? Not enough yards? Well there were certainly respectable yards in the playoff game.
I guess my point is: If the argument is that he does what he’s asked to do, then he’s proven that he can do all that. He can manage a run-first team, he can manage a pass-attack team in the playoffs.
You guys were all smiles and giggles last season, I don’t understand what’s changed. He’s proven he can do the job.
What gives?
Would AS take the same 3yr 24 mil deal in MIA out of spite/anger, or try to use it as leverage to bump up the numbers in here
The gross numbers of the offer that the 49ers made were probably alright. It’s the ease with which the 49ers could negate the contract that bothered Smith. If the 49ers modify their escape hatch in Smith’s favor, it would probably look like the same contract to the public, but not to Smith.
Alex for sure but wallace? Not really sure. We still need o-line guys.
Signing Alex gives them a better chance to win the super bowl NOW. If they address WR in the draft in the coming years, they’ll have a good chance at finding their own Mike Wallace by the time CK is ready to be the starter. Then they’ll have the best of both worlds, and be prepared to win the super bowl this year, and in a decade.
On the surface it appears that Alex has upped his leverage, but has he really? I think there’s a good chance that Miami will trade for Tebow (huge attendance boost) so what options does that leave for Smith? He’ll likely put his tail between his legs and sign here, the 9ers will make nice nice, and everybody says they are happy.
With PM signing in Denver good luck to him but now it’s time to move on to plan B or Plan C. Remember, we still have Harbaalke and in them I have 100% conficence.
Kaepernick is not ready period. He needs another year or two. Smith will be fine with some upgrades at wide receiver.
Agreed. Kaep, right now, is actually what Harbaugh described him as…”plutonium grade raw material”. The keyword is raw. Very raw. There’s no way we can just plug him in like a lot of the crazy fans on this board think we can.
you are wrong sir they said that about Newton about Kaepernick they said he was the most ready QB./
Who would throw to Wallace? CK wasnt as good as Tolzein last preseason. They claimed Tolzein off waivers because he beat CK in a head to head matchup. It looks like we would throw away a year of our super bowl window with this current roster going with a inexperienced QB. Smith had 6 come from behind wins including 4 on the road. Does anyone think that a rookie will be up to that level of play. not me.
Funny,when Kaep got in real games last season I thought I rememberd him making 3 really nice completions in a short series and looking much more comfortable than he did in preseason ? If you are going by last preseason then I guess all the hard work Kaep has put in for all these many Months has been for nothing in your eyes ? I guess the coaching staff have just been ignoring Kaep all these Months huh ? lol
With mini-camps and a real TC for the first time in his career and a full preseason when he already knows the offense,he will be much more ready to take over this year if Alex is injured or faulters badly. And then when he does get playing time it will all be a learning experience that will pay dividends the more he plays and gets his feet wet and makes his mistakes and learns from them.
Alex also has a LOT to learn ,so I am sure both he and Kaep are striving to get ready to be the best they can be.At least Kaep knows that JH and TB think of him as their future,if he doesn’t mess it up !
of coarse you would Grant it is that anybody but Smith mentality that is so present in your blogs
Both.
…Pray Tim…Pray
I always pray daily,all day long 1 niner,but not for football related issues. I will now pray for you right now !
try this site…
http://www.christiananswers.net
A very interesting site indeed and right on the topic YOU brought up !
All day long? That’s a big long distance bill! :P
About twelve hours ago, Grant said: “It feels like the world is closing in on Smith. Who knows, he could become Jason Campbell very soon”. It will be interesting to see what transpires now. Can the team remove a Franchise Tag from Dashon and give it to Alex instead? One year $12M. Another “prove it” year that may benefit both parties. Alex becomes a FA again next year and maybe has better options than Miami or Cleveland. Niners get to groom CK one more year.
We’ll see how this plays out!
…Grant lost lots of credibility after this…..
I do like the idea of CK grooming one more year. The issue is that Smith knows the 49ers want to do this. This is why he wouldn’t sign the original contract, the length of time that they were guaranteeing left Smith feeling insecure.
The 49ers were telling him one thing ( long term QB ) but they were showing another thing with their offer.
How did Grant lose cred? Everyone said he should sign with the 49ers.
…not everyone…..Most writers tried reporting, Grant specifically was rooting for Manning……since Grant had no source he became a commenter just like anyone of us……
1niner,
Part of running a blog is giving opinions. Grant does that. If you don’t agree with them that’s fine, but this losing credibility stuff is weak and completely off base.
There were predictions and opinions being thrown out all over the place, along with a bunch of misinformation. That’s what a story like this will do.
I’ll take Alex and Wallace, I think we can make it work either way. As far as Smith vs. Kap, well that’s a no brainer no matter who the WR core is, Kap is not ready, and may not be ready for a year or two! Am I the only one who remembers the Red face and Deer in the Headlights looks from Pre-Season and TB spot duty. He’s not ready, and Josh Johnson over A Smith is just silly, dudes a career back up. Get Smith back in the building, he and Harbs can go out for an Ice Cream and get on with the season!! Oh, and if we can still manage to get Wallace, why not!! Go Niners!
@49or69 all the time
Here are 2 possibilities (not the only ones):
If AS is a selfish money grabbing (blogger like a few here) hog:
AS will want to sign for whatever he needs to sign to get the Niners Wallace. With Wallace, AS has a real threat and the whole offense opens up in ways that are not possible with our current WR’s.
With the Super Bowl wins that follow, he gets a huge contract.
If AS is a great guy and a team player:
AS will be willing to play around with his contract money if the Niners make a real effort for Wallace. He knows what Wallace would do for this team. And consequently what he could do for him. The Niners win the Super Bowl, and he can get his money later.
He didn’t sign the contract on the table because he wanted more money and years. He lied about being happy with the three year deal presented to him and now he’s going to take a lower offer so the Niners can bring Wallace in? That’s not the way it works, no matter how great of a guy Smith is.
DS:
I actually thought before the revelation that the Niners wanted PM that Alex was delaying his signing because he was waiting to see if the Niners needed him to adjust his contract to fit in another FA or two. ?How naive was I ,lol.
Alex is indeed a team oriented guy so it seemed plausable at the time and I see no reason why he wouldn’t do that even now if he thought it would help the team get better.
@Tim
I thought the same thing. And, there is no evidence that AS did not do that for that purpose either.
…And DS,I see no reason why Alex would not still do it now either. I don’t like the way he plays on the field but he is pure class and a great TEAM guy !And besides,if he can get Wallace to throw to this season it is all to his benifit personally,not just the team .
I agree with Neal, Bay, and some of the other folks on here. The Niner Front Office has sent out a crystal clear message regarding what they think about Alex. He’s 2nd fiddle and they’ll settle for him if they’re out of other viable options. This year, Alex either elevates his game above mediocracy (is that realistic? I’m not sold on it) or he’s a one-and-done.
And the Niners win the Super Bowl? Are you equally in love with him as you are hating him if the Niners don’t?
If the niners win the superbowl, it wont be because of AS. 2/3 of that team is spectacular. Never do we look back on that Ravens SB win and think that Dilfer was great.
@jsand
So if AS plays a Super Bowl game where he comes back twice to take the lead late in the 4th quarter because the defense blew it, they would not have won because of AS?
Not making any sense there.
P.S. That happened in the Saints game in the playoffs by the way. I wasn’t making up a scenario AS has not actually completed.
Yor mean 8 and done don’t you ? LOL ! Funny if it wasn’t so sad for the team.
Nick,
I couldn’t disagree more. Your assertion may have been credible if they had brought in Matt Flynn for a visit, or signed Josh Johnson, but they didn’t. They looked at bringing in one of the best QB’s in NFL history who just happened to be a FA. Some of you keep trying to paint this as a shot at Smith, and imo it isn’t. It was chance to get a game changer at the most important position on the field.
Rocket,Rocket,Rocket:
They replaced Alex with JT and then Hill and then tried to replace him with Warner and then Hasselbeck and then PM and they drafted CK to take over from him eventually ! When are you going to get the hint? lol
Tim, Tim, Tim,
I’m not sure if you are purposely being untruthful or if you actually believe what you say, but either way you are wrong.
Alex Smith was not replaced by JT. Smith was coming off shoulder surgery, was never 100%, and wound up reinjuring the shoulder and going on IR for the season. If you’d like I can post a link to a recent interview with Mike Martz that will back up everything I just said.
The following year, the Niners brought in Warner, because they had no idea what to expect from Smith due to him coming off his second shoulder surgery in two years, and they didn’t have a lot of confidence in Hill. That year in TC, Smith broke his thumb two weeks into preseason and Hill was given the starting job while doing little to earn it. Smith then took the job from Hill 5 games into the season.
See Tim these are what are referred to as facts. They differ from opinions which is what you tend to like to do. We have no idea what is going to happen with CK, but when he was drafted, the Niners had no QB’s signed other than David Carr, and had no idea what they would get from Smith due to not being able to work with him until the lockout was over.
If you’d like me to fix your memories from other parts of Niner history let me know.
“I’m not sure if you are purposely being untruthful…”
Ah ha! Now I understand why Tim says he prays all day! :P
15 Hail Mary’s and 12 Our Fathers!!
I am releived the Niners didnt commit 18 million dollars a year to PM. I think AS will show improvement in his second season in JH/GR’s offense if he resigns.
If the FO can sign MW at their price(doubtful since Pitt can match the offer) great, if getting MW means they overpay, forget it. JH found a way to win 14 times last season with MC being our most legit receiver. RM and MM are upgrades, and a 2nd round pick would probably be an upgrade from last years roster.
Just wait a bit longer, Alex will surprise you.
Smith has his family here, he’s gonna come back. Frankly, I’m happy with that. Dude put up a 90.7 QB rating with Tedd Ginn as his #2 WR for most of the season. We didn’t get Manning, but we also don’t have $21 mil tied up in our QB. We have good depth, and are 1 receiver and a RG short of being fully stocked.
Skip Wallace and draft BPA, potentially Fleener. Go big/fast WR in rd 2 or 3… and get an understudy for Justin Smith
I agree with one exception. Fleener is not needed. You already have 2 good TE’s. Draft Receiver or Guard.
Make a big play for Decastro, whatever it takes. Harbaugh knows how good the guy is, if he thinks he’s special take a shot.
Grant,
The Niners were just courting Peyton Manning, who will land a contract in the ballpark of $95 Million, $30 Million guaranteed. How is it, by your logic, the Niners must now choose between signing Alex Smith or Mike Wallace? Surely the contracts, and guarnatees, to those players combined would be comparable, or less, than signing Manning. Oh, that’s right. You’re not a serious commentator, but someone who likes to hit that fail safe Alex Smith wedge issue every day.
EggXactly
Grant
Minus the putdown at the end, BSofSF is right.
@DS
We trade KC to the Dolphins for their #1 pick which makes last years move up to the second round a value pick; Miami gets their QB; KC gets to be a starter, the niners draft Hill with the #8 pick we get from Miami, give the #30 to the Steelers and sign MWallace. Other than TIM, who still believes we should be starting Nate Davis, everyone’s happy….PLAY BALL!!
Who is KC ??? (Kansas City ?) LOL,makes as much sense that way so dont change a thing oregon ,lol.
…Ditto….. BsofSf
Hey TIM
I certainly did position the letters C and K in reverse order in my recent post. I’ll bet that a lot of folks were totally in the dark as to who I was referring to (Sarcasm). Colin Kaepernick.
You are right!….I’l bet that feels strange, huh?
Bs…. The niners weren’t just courting pm. They wanted him. It was his decision to go elsewhere. If he had called the
This morning and said I’m coming you better believe he’d be a 49er. They were serious in their pursuit of manning. Don’t get it twisted
The deal on the table is insulting as far as the guaranteed money is concerned. 3 years for 24 mil with $10 being guaranteed! Really? By all accounts Alex was ranked about 9 in the league last year, his salary should be refelctive of that. I am not saying they should be giving him 5 years 560 mil or anything, but better than they are ginving. 6 fourth quarter comebacks in 7 tries. You don’t luck in those. After all, it was Harbauhg who called him “elite”. So was he serious or just blowing smoke up his ass?
2010:
Peyton Manning yard per attempt: 10.4 ,91.9 passer rating,
2.3% interception rate with great receivers!
Alex Smith last year 11.5 yards per attempt, 90.7 passer rating,
1.1% interception rate with fair receivers at best
If you are going to list stats, list them all. Scoring, yardage and 3rd down conversion percentage….
There is a reason that the 49ers only offered so much. They don’t view him as the future. The lowball on the guarantee proves it. They were in essence giving him one more year to prove himself or move over.
The stats you want included are already included in the stats quoted above.
At least give him Matt Flynn money. He has only played 2 games. So bumping up to 9 milion/yr, is a compromise and a sign of good faith.
I believe Miami was offering something similar though. Alex can always be given an extension and a raise if he does well again this year.
True. He has to really earn it.
Smith’s actual YPA last year was 7.07. yds per completion was 11.5.
“Alex Smith or Mike Wallace to Niners?”
Really Grant? Are you SERIOUS or are you trying for blog hits?
I’m SERIOUS.
I think they could get them both – I’m serious – but they will sign AS and draft a WR. More than 40%. lol
Grant,
It’s time to get your gut checked out. A lot of fan emotions were riding on your gut feelings that Manning would sign with the Niners.
@Grant
Why don’t you have the option of getting both?
That is what hof is really getting at.
I don’t think the Niners can do that. They don’t have the cap space this season. Wallace would take up $12 million and Smith would take about $8 million.
@Grant
Then how could the Niners ever come close to the 18-20 million PM supposedly demanded?
AS gets 8 million. Wallace gets 12 million. Plus a roster spot on the most complete team in football which really stank in the WR department last year.
And where have you heard that the Steelers have $12 million for Wallace? I didn’t see that.
Msc explained it last night. They could have spread Manning’s bonus over the five year contract, his cap hit would have been around $15 million for the Niners in ’12 on a $90 million contract.
GC, all things being equal, why didn’t PM sign with the 9ers then if as everyone said, this is a SB winning team if PM throws his helmet on the field??!
@Grant
By the same logic, cant’ the Niners do the same thing with Wallace? Or is it strictly a PM only rule?
Plus, as I pointed out last night to msc…the Niners would lose Bowman more than likely. Plus of getting Wallace over PM…Wallace will cost a lot less than PM, so that bonus is not anywhere near as much as PM”s and the Niners can afford to keep Bowman and everybody else, plus have Wallace.
All without mortgaging the future away. But setting up a future of Super Bowl contenders for a very long time.
Good for Manning as far as the money goes. He is going to get 20+ Mil/season. Niners would not and could not afford that. Broncos will be an 9 or 10 win team, but will never go to the SB with PM, they don’t have that good of a defense or offensive weapons. Broncos where desperate to get rid of the Tebowmania. I love it, because I live in Colorado and hate the Denver Donkeys. Stupid Broncos! Go Niners!
Alex smith is the nightmare that wont go away everytime you think its over he just keep comeing back hes worse than jason or freddy!!!
He’s big and tall. Just get him the ski mask…
I think he allready has a ski mask as much money he robbed the 9ers for 8 years
Alex Smith does everything with class ,because he is a fine man with character and class and a fine team mate that shows class in everything he does. So I am sure that he will come crawling back to the Niners with his tail between his legs with as much class as anyone could ever show in such a humiliating circumstance.
I hope we get him Wallace to make the truth that the Niners don’t see him as anything but a fill in stop gap QB seem not as harsh. And besides Wallace would be here for several years and the thought of Kaep throwing to him after he takes over is exciting !
The Niners will be a better team this year,but with their schedule they will need to be better ! But the future is bright (can I copyright that phrase,since I use it so much ? ).
Ok now you are just trying to out do yourself stop showing off.
BACKSTABBER
I don’t understand why several of you are saying Alex will come “crawling back.” If this is where Alex wants to play and where he always THOUGHT he would play until the team blindsided him, why wouldn’t he come back?? He was one game from the SB last year. His friends, family, and the only teammates he’s known in the NFL (whom he has good relationships with) are here. WHY WOULDN’T HE WANT TO COME BACK? I don’t consider his wanting to return here “crawling back.” This is where he wants to be and where he feels–and has shown–he can win. Why would he want to go somewhere else, to a lesser team, that’s far removed from what SF has? Just to spite the 49ers and show undue pride? Come on, man!
Sure,Alex wants to come back but he now knows he was not wanted and now knows for sure they will replace him as soon as Kaep or anyone else comes along that is an upgrade.So he has to swallow his pride and sign here or show a backbone and go out into the hard cruel World and try to earn a spot somewhere else where he is not the caddy for his HC and doesn’t feel so secure in the womb. Crawling is an apt term for that. But his brain will over rule his anger at being not really wanted.
why should AS be humiliated…it was peyton manning
it wasn’t josh johnson
sure he can be miffed and return with a steely determination ….it is up to AS
of course AS is not signed yet so it still remains conjecture what the niner future holds….
and I am sure AS would enjoy a SB win with the WR upgrades knowing full well that this dominating defense and a field positioning special teams are the ballast of this team….he expects more of his game and knowing this offense affords him that comfort level to take that big step forward…..but he has to take that step and it has to be this coming year….
it still remains it is the team that makes the SB…..
the niners didn’t make the SB because all three phases of the team had a hand in the demise….some were part of the game like the unfortunate niner defensive hits that prevented interceptions followed up by a 3rd and 15 ending in a 17yd TD…. the special team fumbles…..and of course the offense lack of efficiency at the end of game highlighted by zippo 3rd downs….all three contributed to the loss…
the niners keep the defense intact…..are working on revamping special teams….and have addressing the WR and OL….but there is a fringe that want AS gone no matter what because he is the sole cause of the niners not making the last SB….oh well their opinion…not mine….
of course MGM just made the fringes day putting the odd of denver in the SB at 8-1…..same as the niners…
yep peyton is a talent and AS should not feel humiliation because it was peyton that came knocking at the niners door….the niners just answered the door….and decide to walk around the block with the peyton….humiliation seems too strong and a wrong emotion to take away from this…
maybe it hardens AS even more with a steely resolve…although have to be careful here…we know AS is a company man and works very hard and studies and stays late etc….hopefully, this doesn’t tighten up his sphincter muscle too much….he still needs to play loose to succeed…..
What a nice brother Peyton is — he just conceded most SB wins to lil brother Eli, since he’ll never win one with Denver
Grant just wants to see CK and his big arm throwing bombs to the shinny new receivers we will have after the draft and the FA we signed. Preseason is going to be interesting this year. I hope we can improve our line enough so the QB don’t get hammered during preseason and they get on the same page as the receivers.
Manning to Broncos? Guess I’ll just go kick a puppy and move on with my day. (No animals will actually be harmed…its just a phrase)
At least they tried.
I like Alex, but I was genuinely excited about getting a fresh start for the offense. I sure hope he can open it up more next year and be the QB the Smithers think he already is.
I know what you mean. I think he will do better this year too. BTW could I ask you who you consider a smither, not necessarily names though you can give them if you’d like.
“Smither” isn’t a term I use often. It’s a reference to the hard-core “we love Alex” crowd who can’t see any fault in his game and calls anyone who mentions his flaws a “hater”. There are very few here that I would put in that category – less than 5 that I can think of.
It doesn’t apply to anyone who loves/likes Alex, but can still see where his weak areas are without hating the guy – that, to me, is how most normal fans look at our QB. We like him, but know there is still room for improvement.
49er girl well put on the definition of a smither, but since I’ve been dealing with them for years now I think I’m qualified for a piece I think you missed.
A smith is also “not a 49er fan” it’s Alex smith or nothing else, it’s Alex smith all glory only and no fault. It’s no one in the world knows what they are talking about ‘including GM and coach of the year’ if it’s not about Alex. Think I summed the rest up. :)
Who are they though? That’s an interesting question.
Who are the equally nutty haters on the other side?
Wait, don’t answer that. I can’t stand the drama on this site.
Lol Adam. I was going to say.. Thought you didn’t like the drama. See your opinion comment earlier about grant, is what the smith debate is about. You can’t have your opinion! Sucks doesnt it?
My thoughts exactly!
I think if Alex takes more visits, the 49ers will up their offer. He’s clearly the best option for us. If he starts visiting teams like Houston, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Kansas City, or Tampa Bay, they’ll start getting a little worried. Neither of those teams can address their QB problems this year, so there’s a chance for him to look at them (I’m not saying that all these teams are legitimate options). I think Alex’s deal will be closer to 30mil, or more guaranteed money, or more years, or a trade clause if the team decides to move on to to CK. We’ll see.
Houston and Tampa are set on QB.
Houston is looking for comp for Matt Schaub. They want someone to get them over the hump. Tampa is NOT set. Freeman almost got benched last year. Why didn’t he? Because they don’t think J. Johnson will be an upgrade. I’m just saying those teams would at least look.
@Ninersroc
If AS is not signed rather quickly (a few days), other teams will come knocking on his door.
Most GM’s are not as stupid as our fans and want a guy who got their team to 13-3 and winning among the most amazing playoff game ever. I’d say a good 5-10 teams start making some phone calls.
Really? Based on what — Alex success/13-3 was due to JH system, everyone in the league, except maybe desperate Miami knows that. Why do you think Seattle signed Flynn so quickly? If AS was any good without JH system, don’t you think Seattle would have nabbed him to beat the niners 2 times a year?
@jdroid,
The vast majority of EVERY qb’s success is because of their system…so I’m not sure why that would deter a team from look at a QB who’s coming off of a successful year. If they trust their system and their coaches, they’ll at least look.
@DS,
I think you’re right. There will be some suitors. If there were serious suitors, the 49ers would take action, just like they did with Carlos Rogers (they increased his offer). They know AS gives us the best chance to win right now!
@jdroid
Not if Seattle:
1. Thinks Flynn is better than their current guy. If he is, then you get better no matter what
2. If you wait for AS, Flynn can sign elsewhere. And AS may go back to Miami. Now you are screwed. What do you do now? Go back to the guy you tried to replace? Not good.
it will be interesting to follow flynn in seattle …. and it will be easy to do since he is in the division….
Even though we didn’t get PM, I’m more impressed with Harbaalke then ever over this whole thing. They proved 2 critically important things: 1. that Alex Smith is “thier guy” ONLY until they find someone better 2. they are adamant about getting great players without breaking the bank.
Would have loved to get PM, but really glad they didn’t risk putting the team in future salary cap hell over it.
Too many people were over confident we were landing Manning. Thinkin it was a done deal. I’m thinking you guys jinxed us.
So… now what happens with Moss?
Grant, didn’t you say you thought Moss would bolt if Manning wasn’t signed?
It will be very interesting to see how this plays out.
Dodge…ball.
RM has no where else to go! Bolt where!???
…why believe Grant?….Grant is just as wrong as Bay or Jordan…..can anyone say one thing Grant was right about recently?
He doesn’t have to be right. That’s not his job. This is an opinion site. He states his opinion and asks you for yours.
See this is the problem here. Too many people are invested in being right. That’s not what this should be about.
It’s just an exchange of ideas. We’re not credentialed and qualified to be right all the time. If we were we’d be rich from all the bets we made in Nevada or we’d be scouts in the league or something other than fans.
Anyway, Grant’s just doing his job. Throwing out opinions and letting us throw out ours.
Shouldn’t be such a big deal, it’s 2012 anyway, get your affairs in order! :P
Thanks, Adam.
Perfectly said Adam. It takes the damn fun out of it when you give your opinion and some nerd has to bash it and put it down. When did an opinion have to be fact? Let’s start our own opinion trend. The draft is still coming up and FA is still here. Maybe it will loosen up some of the stiffy’ on here. Me and hof had some fun with the manning sweepstakes. I think we all know where everyone stands on Alex smith. Forget it and let’s have some fun. Grant to kick it off why don’t you start an opinion draft blog. Anyone thats serious shouldnt participate. Maybe it will get some fun back on here.
Oh And one more thing. Grant I love the fact that you put your predictions out there and love the fact that you ask for ours. Keep it up. Maybe one day some of the fans on here will get where your going with it.
@DS94EVER
I was certainly thinkin Smith was going down the latter path of being flexible on his upfront money so we could brin in Wallace. That was of course before this whole PM debacle on Fri. I still think given Smiths history he’s pretty much a team first guy and would do what it takes to win, I gues now I’m just wondering if the FO is even in on that strategy or just happy with Manningham, Crabs and Moss, I guess we’ll see. Either way I woul feel much better bringing back Smith vs. The notion of Josh Johnson, Kap and Tolzien fighting for it. Why fix if it ain’t broke, and by that I mean the winning not the Third downs and Red Zone TD’s, I believe we’ll get better at those no matter what with the WR upgrades.
@49or69 all the time
Your first sentence ditto.
Second, third sentence…I am not sure about. I can easily see AS being ok with taking less, or him being offended to the point of ‘Nope’. This is all business after all. And AS would be right.
But I don’t know how much better our WR’s will be. Moss is a real wild card. Never know with him. And Manningham was the #3 in NY. Here, I think he becomes our #1. Does that make him that much better going from a #3 to a #1? I don’t think so.
And if it comes down to dropping Manningham and or Moss to get Wallace, I do that in a heartbeat. No second thoughts there.
me too….last week it was my warm fuzzy AS was allowing the team flexibility to work the cap space….
guess not….but still have a bit of wishful thinking flapping my synoptic ending to acquire wallace….i think this is more devastating to other teams even with AS as the settled QB….and if AS can’t get it down then move on to CK and still have that wallace guy…vs not having wallace and having to move on from peyton….
but still not much has really changed in cap space except for the manningham signing of which we don’t know the cap hit …. i will stick with 3mill/yr.
….actually concerning manningham…why did he want to stay with the giants….what writing was on the wall there….
i
It’s obvious to me who the 49ers need to pursue as Plan B for QB. Bobby Brady. You made a run at the brother of the QB who won the Superbowl. You didn’t get him. Now go after the brother of the QB that lost.
Simple. Duh!
LOL!!! HILARIOUS!
Sorry guys its my fault. I called Manning and told him we didn’t have a guard and told him he needed to supply his own line as part of his contract.
Realistically one should have expected Manning to sign with the Broncos. Why? Here are some reasons I could think:
Manning has consistently expressed interest in staying with the AFC. He does not want a Manning Bowl other than the Super Bowl.
The AFC is weaker than the NFC, and AFC West is anybody’s for the taking, making it more likely that the Broncos will win the division.
If they win home field advantage they are more difficult to beat at Mile High than many other teams’ home field.
With Elvis Dumervil back from injury this season, Broncos defense is darn good, in fact, a top 10 defense in the league.
The Broncos O line is better at pass protection than the Niners based on the time I saw that Tebow got to throw last season.
Equally important, the Broncos have a ton of cap space to bolster their depth with veteran FAs still available in the market, especially linemen.
Finally, and importantly, Manning is all about legacy and nourishing his considerable ego. Winning a Super Bowl with the Niners will always be remembered as how Harbaugh brought in a hired gun to win a SuperBowl with their vaunted defense. With the Broncos, the Manning legacy will have a bigger impact overall.
Biggest part was money and AFC.
I live in CO and watch the Broncos. Elvis was back last year from injury and was not the same and is not that great . Their defense is ok at best, not going to be a top 10. Their oline is not that great. Tim had to run for his life in all the games I saw and the pocket fell apart when he dropped back. They will have a good chance of winning their division as it is not good, though. The AFC is also weaker than the NFC and there is more of a shot to make it to the SB. Win it, no way.
I bet Tom Condon asked Manning to go to Denver so he wouldn’t loose Smith as a client.
I tried to tell Grant and all the other Alex bashers, there’s no way in hell PM would sign in SF. Even still he continued to write how close the 9ers were to signing him. Sorry not a blind squirrels chance in… Ive said all along Alex is Harbaughs man, and Kaepernick is waiting in the wings if that falls through, feels good to be right as usual :-)
Well, you’re only partially right – Alex is Harbaughs man ONLY until he finds someone better, thankfully. If he were unconditionally Harbaugh’s man, he would have been offered a better contract and Harbaugh wouldn’t even have looked at Manning.
And Harbaugh would have been his caddy.
The FO knows that Smith needs to get out, they now that Smith doesnt sell seats or merchandise like Manning for our financial and playing we should put CK in , so no more Smith plz
If they thought that they would not have an offer for Smith at 8M a year for 3 years.
Manning? two words: OVER-RATED. Once again, OVER-RATED. 36,four neck operations for the human giraffe,Carson Palmer outruns him by a half step.
And now he competes against the mighty OAKLAND RAIDERS…ho-ho,good luck with that.
49ers? two more words: VINCE YOUNG.
Yeah, lets’ bring them all in: VY, TS, trade for DC from NYG, trade for TTebow, JJ, DGerard, anyone but AS!
Alex might not comeback..if he was a GF, She walks for perfect revenge.
But,that Super Bowl opp. could bring him back.
And Stan…. That Super Bowl opportunity is his only option. He ain’t going nowhere. When are all of you going to get it. He’s a lifer without the possibility of parole.
The Raider part was joking -but the rest is true…
If he was a GF, they were technically separated. He cant blame the niners for getting the hall pass while they are separated
wow, I thought the vince young part was the joke.
Stan, I have three words to describe Vince Young CRAZY MOTHER ______ you can fill in the blank :-)
You lost all credibility after the words over rated. And this coming from a lin’sanity maniac. Obtw. How’s he doing now a days. Ha ha haaaaaaaa OO VER RAAATED!!!!
Hello,
Alex Smith still has the same offer on the table as he had 2 months ago. It’s not up to the Niners to sign Alex. It’s up to Alex to sign the contract offer.
As far as leverage and kissing up to Smith. Why? Where does he have leverage? Alex needs us, we showed him how much we needed him. He still hasn’t signed that original offer. His value didn’t go up since he flew to Miami. We still dont have a starting QB.
Smith has no leverage. There is not one team besides Miami who is interested. Id love for him to go down to Miami and show off how great a QB some people think he is on this blog. JH can slot anybody in that position to just “game manage”.
Sign Alex and Josh Johnson. Harbaugh gambled that Alex would stay healthy (and he did) last season, but he might not be so lucky this year. Hiring JJ puts some experience behind Alex…and some real veteran competition for the starting job. I’m leery about CK becoming the starter…for obvious reasons. They can also sign OG Schwartz. After signing those three, there likely won’t be enough cap space to sign Wallace. We can draft a fast WR…and Fleener, should Harbaalke choose to go that way. That’s what I’d do…what Baalke decides to do is another matter…
The JJ stuff is nonsense please stop with it. If AS gets injured I’d much rather put CK in. Why in the world would we have 4 QB’s under contract.
I say lets go with CK and get Wallace. Smith and Wallace makes no sense. He doesnt have the arm strength to get his WR the ball down field as it is. CK can launch the ball to Moss and Wallace. I dont think Balke is to worried right now with the idea that CK might be in the running to start.
Lets put down this false notion Smith doesn’t have the arm strength. Just because Smith isn’t the most accurate deep range passer doesn’t mean it is because of his arm strength. Even then, the stats say he isn’t bad at the deep pass either.
False notion? Have you seen what the ball looks like when it leaves his arm on the down-field throws? Theres no touch, no accuracy. That all has to do with arm strength. What exactly is your definition of a deep pass too? 20 yards? 30?
There’s no excuse now for Alex to throw so many checkdown passes with Randy Moss stretching the field. We have enough weapons now, no need to waste money on Mike Wallace.
Focus on starting guard and draft a speedy WR in lower rounds of draft to develop. Don’t waste our first round pick on a guard. I would trade down (out of first round) for a guard. Then take guard in 2nd or 3rd round and use extra picks (from trading down) for added depth.
This may be a good time to trade this years first round pick (#30), for a 2013 first round pick. Trade it to a team that thinks they are good but probably will suck next year. Then we get a high first round pick in 2013 and our regular 2013 first round pick.
Crab15 Alex throwing so many checkdowns? Really.. I dont know Rodgers and Rapistberger seem to win games with one check down after the next the difference is when they lobb the ball deep, they had talented WR to make big plays :-) Try to do a little research before posting ignorant comments
the difference is that Rodgers and Rapistberger have the arm strength and accuracy to hit their WR
23J – Troll alert
@jsand
“…Rapistberger have the arm strength and accuracy to hit their WR”
And a great many women as well.
lol DS. yes his arm strength was very mighty with the women
Crabs
Got it Ftgambit.
interesting thoughts about the draft …. if indeed the niners pick up schwartz…..
delaine walker will be an interesting focus as well going forward….
Manningham the rout runner. Ask a Giants fan what they really think of him. I don’t think he was signed with Alex in mind. The knock on Crabbs was his rout running?
Someone yesterday brought up trading MC. Hmm.
It takes even great WRs at least 5 seasons to truly master route running and the position. Well see what happens with both WRs
Grant needs to study how salary cap works.
Just because a contract averages $8m a year, it doesn’t mean the cap hit is 8 mill in the first year.
For example: 3 year contract, $9m signing bonus, annual salaries of $1m, $4m, $10m. Total value of contract $24m.
Cap hits by year: $4m, $7m, $13m.
That is why I asked why we can’t have both. Grant wanted PM who wanted circa 18M a year average. That is AS and Wallace combined.
Me personally, I’d make a push for Wallace and start the kid, the reason being with moss, manningham, and davis the 49ers need a QB who can get the ball deep and if we’re honest Smith is not that guy, Kaepernick is, sure he’s inexperienced but so was Montana befote the ’80 and ’81 seasons, I’m definitely not saying he’ll be Montana but guys don’t become experienced until given an opportunity, and if you add Wallace to that offense they become one of the most dangerous in the NFL
Don’t be fooled AS has the strength to throw it deep He did a couple of times last year (more than 30 yard passes) he is just hesitant to do so.
Once again:
Willingness to sling it =/= Good Quaterback.
Sure Alex CAN thow the ball far but he has not shown the ability to consistently throw it accurately,even short. And if he continues to not see wide open receivers and not read defenses well,then who cares if he CAN throw deep if he is holding the ball too long ?
He has a lot of work left to do,a lot !
Agreed on some of those points TIM. I just want to dispel this idea that he does not have the arm to trow it deep some people here seem to have.
MM thinks the relationship can be mended.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/niners-talk/post/Smith-49ers-relationship-can-be-mended?blockID=672758&feedID=2539
I would take neither. We have too many FAs at WR already. It’s getting a little crowded with too many faces.
As for the QB position, I would bring Alex back only if he is open to a contract with minimal guaranteed money and understands that CK is in our current plans for a long-term QB.
Alex has no decent options out there. In fact he has just one in Miami, and no way he’s going to get better with that coaching staff and front office. Hell at this point I would reduce the offer sheet I originally gave him. Give him the Goldson treatment and make him earn it.
Remember that if JH follows the Walsh blue print,he will get Kaep into as many game situations this season as he can to get him the feel for the NFL game and to get him experience and yes to have him make his mistakes so he can learn from them in the coaches film sessions with him.Alex will come back if he can live with the fact that Kaep is the long term starter here.
And why would Alex get upset if there is a contract structured so that the team can escape the last year or two if they want to start Kaep (as everyone is reporting is in the contract they offered Smith)? Smith should also want an escape clause if he wants to leave when he is relegated to being Kaep’s backup .
we just signed our last FA wr maningham. wwe wudnt spend the money on him an moss if we were gonna go for someone as expesnive as wallace. an besides what r u gonna do with that many top WRs in a WCO runing game. we only need what we got now an maybe a good rookie stephen hill has been pretty popular but i still think they shud pick up lamichael james with #30, he wont be there int he 2nd an dudes gonna go far
I like this one better if CK actually is ready. Maybe MM is on to something.
http://www.csnbayarea.com/blog/niners-talk/post/Kaepernick-to-Wallace-A-49ers-combo-wort?blockID=672590&feedID=2539
Here’s the rumors I’m hearing:
1) Smith signs with Miami.
2) David Garrard invited to work out in San Fran.
Purely speculation, but interesting.
Glenn Dickey is right on with this:
“The 49ers had tried very hard to hide their interest in Manning, with coach Jim Harbaugh flying to North Carolina to work him out, and apparently Condon didn’t warn Smith, either. Can we spell sleazy?”
S L E A Z Y
SLEAZY on whose part?
Tom Condom? Maybe
JH? No
I think both.
I’ve lost a lot of respect for Harbaugh over this and I was a HUGE Harbaugh cheerleader when Baalke was doing the coach recruiting thing last year. Ask any of the guy here, I was pushing for the guy big time.
All the schmoozy, getting flowers for Smith’s wife stuff and all the nicey nice stuff just seems like empty rhetoric to me.
But I think this thing makes Harbaugh look disingenuous and that may be putting it mildly. Flat out dishonest and deceitful may be more accurate. It’s also possible that Harbaugh is just naive. He assumes his words have no real meaning or he has no idea what’s going on in the office.
This Condon guy should be investigated. And actually, I’m surprised there are only two big agents for QBs and Condon is apparently THE biggest of the two. Too much of a monopoly, players need to break this up. It’s not healthy for any of them.
I love the red and gold but it doesn’t mean I have to love the people running the thing I guess. I’d just like to see a little more transparency, if the thing smells to the average Joe fan then there’s probably a whole lotta stink going on we can’t smell below the surface. Nice visual there. :P
@Adam
I’d hold off on hating JH.
TB is the GM. He makes the personnel decisions. TB was going to see PM no matter what JH did.
JH may have gone to see PM so that he can offer his own input about the guy.
I think there was/is a little war between JH and TB. TB upon getting hired said “AS in not here.” Implying he would not try to resign him.
JH instantly went to get AS and had to convince TB to bring AS back.
That is how I see it. I have no proof of almost none of the things that really matter in this case. Just a hopeful hunch.
And the blog can always use hope, right Adam?
“I’d hold off on hating JH.”
I don’t hate anyone, DS. I don’t hate coach.
As of right this second, I’ve lost a lot of respect for him though. Unless he comes out and explains whatever the hell is going on with all this stealth nonsense to my satisfaction, then I’ve lost faith in him. I won’t trust a thing he says. The only thing that makes sense is that they didn’t want Smith to know. It would have some out in the media and they knew they hadn’t talked to him at all about it first. It’s deceitful. Sorry. It is what it is.
Doesn’t mean I hate him, just means I put him in the opportunistic politician category. I work with a ton of those types, salespeople, management, etc., that will lie to your face and stab you in the back.
It’s just modern life, man. It’s how it is. The players will all be diplomatic in public and all that but I bet the way this went down is in the back of their heads. Has to be.
so many talking heads are putting this on JH…..as i mentioned before baalke is the gm and in my opinion led the exploration team and of course JH is on that team…..
this was a baalke led trip…..of course he doesn’t have to massage AS ego…..JH has to do that…..but again i don’t think that much massaging will need to be done because JH can sort of have empathy over the peyton thing since peytonn was the one that replaced him…..but even so i don’t think more than a paragraph of ‘lets get past this moment’ will transpire.
@Adam
Not the best way I put that opening sentence Adam.
Sorry. Please forgive.
Your 2nd to last paragraph explained how I thought much better.
Harbaugh stayed true to his word about always looking to upgrade, no matter the position. Smith said he was happy with the three year offer made by the team and he obviously wasn’t happy with the years or the money. Does it make him sleazy that he lied to the media by saying he was fine with it? No, it’s business.
Sleazy? No.. This is a business. The niners offered Smith a contract ( a good one), he didn’t take it. It would have been stupid to not check out PM.
@jsand
Kolb last year got paid a lot.
Sanchez got paid a lot before FA started.
Flynn is getting more money in Seattle
Fair offer? No. Offer to build on last year and become a legend like no other? Yes.
And thats exactly why TB and JH dont think that AS is their long term guy
Just because other teams are stupid and willing to overpay mediocre QBs doesn’t mean the 49ers have to. Alex is better than Kolb, Sanchez and Flynn, but maybe his longterm value isn’t that high because CK is getting closer to playing. If Alex wants to stay here he’s going to have to do it on the niners terms. The same terms that were on the table before a HOF QB became available unexpectedly.
“No.. This is a business.”
That doesn’t excuse the people in charge. They still need to treat people in an ethical manner.
I know this is an uphill battle. Most of you don’t seem to get the idea or even care.
Corporations (yes, I realize that this is a privately held family company but bear with me) have stakeholders, not just stockholders. The stakeholders are you and me (the fans) and all the people who work for them from janitors to coaches to players. They have an obligation to these stakeholders (in my opinion) to be good corporate citizens. They have an obligation to be transparent and not try to rip people off (which I think they’re getting close to with ticket prices, anyway but that’s another topic.)
It’s not all about making money at the expense of everything and everyone else. This isn’t China. Your customers and your employees should NOT be thought of as disposable commodities.
That’s all. Have respect, treat others with respect. Don’t go sneaking around the country and think you’re not going to be called on the carpet for it or there are no ramifications for it.
Alex Smith has quite frankly been defecated on by this outfit for years now and they seem OK with just continuing to do it that way. Well… it’s not OK, he should have been advised of this stuff early on and not through media reports of clandestine meetings between Harbaugh and Manning on Friday afternoon.
If they had any respect for him they’d have told him Monday morning, “hey, we’re going back east Tomorrow, blah blah blah.” That way he has some time to make the arrangements of his own. They owe him that much at least – if all their words weren’t hollow to begin with.
Respect. Simple. Dickey is right.
This guy nails it in the first couple of sentences:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news?slug=jc-cole_alex_smith_49ers_dolphins_peyon_manning031912
Garbage heaped upon him. Correct.
gonna be an ornery cuss and say that we can sign both wallace and alex, plus a guard and our picks. wallace’s situation aside, these multi yr contracts seem to be able to be structured for modest year 1 cap hits.
i’d have slight preference to keep Alex at qb for sake of continuity and the hope that he can improve a bit in his second yr under harbaugh. kf alex signs somewhere else, more power to him and i am ok with any of the mooted options. i trust baalke and harbaugh.
re Alex’s feelings/head space, i have some sympathy for about the next 48 hours. after that, like every other human, he’s got to screw his head on straight, suit up, and go make something happen. because if he doesnt, he will be replaced. such is human life circa 2012.
re baalke/harbaugh’s play on PM, i applaud them. you makes your bets, you takes your chances. then you suit up and move on.
not so bold prediction: we win a SB in 2012, 2013, and/or 2014. i hope its with Alex, but if not, thats ok too.
An article in the Merc pointed out that because of the possibility of conflict of interest among agents representing multiple players, it is the duty of an agent to tell their clients about everything that might impact them that is going on with their other clients. In other words, it would have been unethical – and possibly actionable – for Condon not to tell Alex about the contact between Manning and the 49ers. So if Condon followed the rules, we have to assume that Alex knew about the negotiations with Manning from the start. It will be interesting to learn exactly how that all went, what was discussed between Harbaugh and Alex, and when that occurred. Plus which party – Manning or the 49ers – contacted the other.
Alex Smith Sign with the 49ers the same contract he was originally offered.
If he does not they wont sign any one else and may just pick up another QB in the 3rd round.
You heard it here first.
I’m afraid the first part isn’t first. But the draft part you’ll get credit for. :-) its prediction land on here now. Wheew. Its fun except to the serious folk. Lol
I mean the overall prediction Of course the first part is not new.
Lol giving you a hard time. I feel like a prediction machine right now. Lol
“@mattbarrows: RT @SI_PeterKing: Tenn source tells me Titans felt Manning turned off by circus … Source in SF says SB-or-bust feel would have bugged PM.”
Wow PM turned off by a Super-Bowl or bust expectations. Never would have thought that.
If that’s the case, then what’s he in the game for?
Maybe its too much pressure coming off that kind of injury. I dont believe that though
$$$$$$
Yeah, that is weak sauce. What is he playing for at this point in his career? Just to reach the playoffs? To get paid? I couldn’t imagine Tom Brady playing for anything other then a SB shot if he was in the same boat.
Can’t say that is a reason, but really, if he isn’t up to high expectations of winning it big or bust, then Manning isn’t the killer instinct QB some people thought and continues to make me think that he isn’t a good fit for playing high pressure games, as shown by his postseason performances in his career.
Guess it’s bash PM time now? LOL
Who is bashing?
@tuto
Sorry. Not directing the comment at you, but to some of the replies.
As to salary cap issues, I have a question. If the 49ers needed additional cap space, can’t players with existing contracts rework the structure so that, for example, Patrick Willis might take a smaller salary cap hit this year? So if the 49ers really wanted to make a play for Wallace, they could find a way to do it?
i still think wallace is in play…..schwartz is a 2nd tier needs to prove himself after injury category so i think could get a wallace friendly contract as well as wallace friendly if AS signs whatever the draft picks require….again knowing the cap space expands next year a bit for a couple of years…..
and i am not opposed to signing a josh johnson…..competition is competition and if JH thinks JJ would provide good competition than it should happen….
oh u wanted an answer to restructuring contracts….of course they could if the player is willing….
I heard Condon wasn’t even involved until after Manning made his decision- sounds logical.
Our schedule is by far the hardest but when you have the best D and special teams, you have a greater advantage.
I actually think TENN has a better D than DEN. Dumervil and V. Miller aren’t enogh pieces. Remember that DEN beat a Steeler team with lots of injuries (including half a QB)
I’m a Niner fan though I thought we get the Lombardi trophy handed to us if we had PM, we still upgraded key positions that let us down in the WR area (If we had Manningham & Moss) we take the SB. I say bring in the guard Schwartz formerly with CAR and trust Balke to kick a$$ in the draft and pick us up a nice young RB & G that can come in and compete.
Feelings have been hurt but it’s a big boys league. AS should come back determined as ever, with a a great handle on playbook, better weapons and work on some serious red zone routes. 4 receiver sets and Gore to pick up the blitz! No need to get our heads down. Our D is back and better than anyone elses! Go Niners.
I meant to qulaify myself as a Niner fan and say that though I wanted PM, I support whoever is behind center!
He wasn’t involved on Manning’s behalf. Manning did his own work.
He should have been involved on Smith’s behalf. If Glenn Dickey and several others are correct, Condon never told Smith what was going on.
Queue up the Alexcuses this time next year:
1. He’s had to work with an entirely new WR corps. Other QBs have had the same receivers and chemistry for years.
2. So and so [insert name here] was injured all year. That prevented Alex from [insert any skill related to the QB position here].
3. We got rid of Ted Ginn, so we had to work with lesser field position all year, culminating in longer drives.
4. We have a turn-style at Right Guard every year.
5. The new stadium got put on hold due to the discovery of a new species of indigenous crabgrass during ground-breaking ceremony.
[Please insert any future Alexcuses here so we can start to debate them now. Thank you in advance.]
Aww… bitter already?
There’s no guarantee Smith even re-signs with the Niners. Maybe you should save your bile until then.
If a new WR is Wallace, excuse 1 won’t hold any water (assuming he is healthy and all).
Smith has nothing to do with any improvements because..
This 300yds game doesn’t count because most the yds are RAC.
WR won that jump ball or he made a nice diving catch at his feet.
Without these new weapons, Smith is nothing.
3rd conv and RZ TDs are better cause the running game is better.
So you’re admitting that adding good wideouts will actually help win games? And help Smith?
Thought that was an Alexcuse only the Smithers used.
Fascinating.
@adam
I’m just turning the table on Mr. 4th & Alex. LOL
I’d sign Alex and Josh Johnson. Harbaugh gambled that Alex would stay healthy (which he did) last season…he might not be so lucky this year, to wit, sign JJ now. He won’t be expensive and would provide some veteran experience behind Alex. They may also want to sign OG Schwartz. Not sure there’d be enough cap space to take a shot at Wallace, too. Besides, Harbaalke can draft Fleener and a fast WR at a much lower cost.
I think the reason Peyton Manning DIDN’T choose SF is the same reason some people defend Alex Smith…MONTANA & YOUNG! If Peyton would’ve come to SF he would have immediately stepped into the shadows of two of the greatest QBs of all-time. Despite the strength of Manning’s ego (which I don’t know that he has a big ego like that), he doesn’t want to be under “that kind” of pressure. Anything short of a super bowl THIS YEAR and 49ers fans would want his head, they’d want him released, “his career is over”, “give Kaepernick a chance”. I think he has seen how nasty 49ers fans can get when their qbs don’t give them what they want. I think despite him thinking he could win a super bowl here, he’s not taking for granted the magnitude of how hard it is actually doing that and what would happen if we didn’t win this year.
The reality is Montana’s & Young’s shadows are HUGE and Manning wants to have a legacy that ends on a positive note. Even if he never wins a super bowl in Denver, at least people will understand why and his legacy is barely tarnished, if at all. But if he fails to do it SF, most (not all) bets are off for him. And If he happened to retire the same time as Tom Brady, then he wouldn’t be a 1st ballot HoF because of it. I think Denver is actually his best choice, but only because this 49ers dynasty is that big of a deal.
Confidence Peyton Manning might have in himself, but intelligence NOT to throw himself to the wolves trumps that confidence.
I like it. Some here won’t. Who cares about them though?
Any Niner QB will be compared to JM/SY. Not like what PM is used too. He is used to being the standard. Won’t happen here. He will have to live up to our standards.
Good point.
I went easy on Alex Smith last year but I will be dissecting EVERY pass from Alex this season if I continue to see Crabtree insults.
23J will be proud! You guys be fair, I will be fair.
In the words of Alice Cooper “No More Mr. Nice Guy.”
It’s amazing to see how happy some of you are that we did not get Manning.
We were a signature away from back to back Super Bowl wins.
Well if CK start wouldn’t you feel the same way?
Hofe – Remains to be seen if CK can out perform Alex.
This was a dark day for our franchise, it’s been 17 years since we won a Super Bowl. Our odds of winning SB went from 90% to 20% in one moment.
As a fan, I’m going to pull for whoever Harbaugh puts on the field. Hofe, you know very well I criticise Crabtree when he plays poorly. Crabtree is not even one of my top 5 Niners now, I selected the avatar right after we drafted him. People shouldn’t just judge someone for an avatar. I do think Crabtree is better than many of you guys think he is and he’ll continue to get better. BTW my top 5 favorite Niners are Ahmad Brooks, K. Hunter, J. Smith, B. Miller & VD.
Cheers Hofe!
We were not guaranteed Super Bowl wins, Manning would have just made us heavy favorites compared to the rest of the league.
I agree we should be rooting for all 49er players to do better.
However, you dislike people talking about Crabs in a bad way yet you allow others and even yourself to attack Smith. Seems a little hypocritical to me. I have no problem people wanting to look for improvement, but no need to attack Smith or Crabtree as a way to prove it.
Michael – I get what you’re saying and appreciate it. It’s a long story but there’s an agenda with some of the Crabtree insults. The majority are from die-hard AS fans. I bash Crabtree myself when it’s deserving. Like I told Hofe, Crab15 is just an avatar I selected when we drafted Crabtree. He’s my favorite WR on Niners but not my favorite player. Tie (Ahmad Brooks & Justin Smith).
Crabs this year you should. With wanting manning it also says that smiths play last year isn’t going to be good enough this year. They will make him take more shots downfield. Don’t expect the same 3 yard dump offs like last year. Smith has everything lined up for him now. And they are going to demand more. Either this season will be a big one or a bad one. Don’t see a mediocre one anymore. Bombs away Alex. It’s all on your shoulders now. Let’s see what cha got.
MD – Well said.
“It’s amazing to see how happy some of you are that we did not get Manning.”
Who?
This could cause a huge problem now. They crapped all over Smith and whiffed on Manning. Who’s happy about that?
Actually, I hope CK is ready. It may be his time at bat.
I’m still formulating…but maybe that BS story of “He didnt like the SB pressure”..is code for “I met Harbaugh,and his fantacism turned me off,his ideas sounded like I Peyton Manning would alter my game”..It could be Manning didnt like Harbaugh’s speil or Harbaugh himself. Look at the Denver coach.. a puddle of clay..nothing for Manning to have push him around.
So,a almost 49er team and no Head coaching pressure…
my take is let the coach take care of the defense in denver and let peyton take care of the offense ….. hand in glove fit on that front….whether it is a match in heaven remains to be seen
i thought there was plan A…..manning
plan B…..AS/wallace
sure i was leaning more towards plan B just because i think wallace had a more sound ROI for the future of the niners…
I think I’m going to go buy an Alex smith jersey. Let’s face it. He will be a record holder here on day. And a legend in some sorts. Alex smith will hold the record for the player that was gone and came back before ever leaving record. That counts for something. And let’s face it. I’ll be able to wear it for a looong time. Unlike my 300 dollar authentic TO jersey I got to sport for a whopping whole year. Yep smith it is. Why not? Lol
I’ve still got my Beckett insert rookie card. :P
I keep hoping he does something so that card is worth more than fifty cents. :P
MD, you are a 9ers fan! Bay says it but doesn’t mean it if AS is on the team.
Sign Wallace with big $ or go after Smith?
- Attempting to sign Wallace would be a gamble, because the Steelers could match the offer and retain Wallace, making Smith feel double jilted, leaving the 49ers with neither.
- How does harbaugh feel about Kaepernick’s development? He only threw 5 regular season passes, so it’s all how it looked in practice and meetings to determine how well Kaep is making reads in the film room.
If the 49ers think they can make an offer for Wallace Pittsburg can’t match (without breaking their own cap) its worth it. Among Crabtree and Moss there would be hurt feelings, but so what.
It still leaves the 49ers with no “big body” WR besides Moss that likes to block. We would lose the #30 pick so no Fleener, even if he dropped to #30.
I think it mainly hinges on Wallace’s contract price. He would clearly be the #1. Manningham would be the #2. Crabs and Moss would fight for the #3 spot.
Why Manning did not pick the 49ers?
- Denver offered more money
- Complete offensive style missmatch for the Roman/Harbaugh power offense. (That was my biggest puzzle as to why negotiations with Manning began in the fist place)
- The NFC West may not have the best records, but its quickly becoming one of the most physical divisions in football. Manning would take a beating behind an unsettled right guard position.
Grant. Why can a post a couple posts and then it blocks me?
DS94everXev says:
March 19, 2012 at 10:16 am
@AES
“You said PM made a mistake that you don’t get by not coming here.
You have certainly implied a lot the last few days that PM is as close to a QB God as there is, and that PM as God is never wrong. Gods are not wrong.
The two don’t seem to mix well.”
DS, an implication in no way assumes that I was calling PM “close to God.”
If you take the time to read line per line, I called PM a HOF QB which is a slam-dunk even if he flames out this year.
Don’t try to put words in my mouth DS, I don’t like it and neither would you.
But truth be told; Yes, I would take PM in a heart-beat over Alex any day of the week.
The other truth is that it is abundently clear the Org felt the same way I felt regarding PM. They took their shot and PM simply decided to go elsewhere.
As I said earlier, the Org has made it clear that Alex is NOT established at the QB position as many here have believed. Also, as of this writing Alex is still not signed which further dispels the notion that he is OUR GUY!
I would take Wallace over Smith. Smith is easily replaceable and the front office knows that. The longer Alex doesn’t have a contract, the more the front office is thinking about going in the direction of johnson and wallace.
I don’t think anyone other than a few here is thinking of JJ. What is the upside to him? I think anything he can do CK can do better.
Tuto,
Kap doesn’t even know the offense yet. Grant said last season that Kap was having issues throwing a simple slant pattern across his body. JJ has run JH offense for 3 years. He knows the offense inside out. I hope he gets a shot to compete for the job. May the best guy win.
“Kap doesn’t even know the offense yet.”
He would certainly know as much as Smith does. They’ve both been in it the same amount of time.
If Smith doesn’t crawl back and sign (and I will lose some respect for him, too along with all the others involved in this) then I agree with Hofer, let’s go homegrown, let CK start and see what he can do.
Johnson? I don’t see it but anything is possible, I guess.
@jordan I’m not sure JJ is much of an option other than being a backup. He’s had 3 years in Tampa’s offense too when he got a chance to start, but he didn’t show much either. I doubt he could have really replaced Freeman in the minds of the TB FO, but Freeman didn’t grow last year either. JJ is an option with the Harbaugh connection, but I think I would rather let Kaep try, even if I think he needs another year to really learn the system.
23Jordan, sure JJ ran Harbaughs offense, in college, big difference from the NFL game to NCAA.
Now that the manning drama is gone I have a question.
An I the only one that’s fired up about next year. Even if smith is or isn’t our qb next year? Last season gave me some of the best Sunday’s I had in awhile. I can’t wait to be draped in red, tailgating and partying at home on Sundays again. Last season refreshed the pride of the red and gold. I am asking 49er fans not smith lovers and not smith haters. How can you be so bitter after last season? We’re back! In harbaugh I trust. Go 49ers!!! Wooooo I can’t wait!
Count me as fired up.
Despite the nutso road schedule, I’m optimistic. The Niners won’t go 11-3, but 11-6 gets playoffs and a deep run and maybe Superbowl.
- 49ers are returning the defese intact.
- Mario Manningham balances the loss of Morgan.
- The offense will have the same OC for two years in a row.
- If the 49ers get a receiver to compliment Mario Manningham in draft or FA, they will have red zone weapons up the yang.
I think we only saw a glimpse of the 49ers offense last year. No matter what QB starts next year it will open up.
I have been fired up MD and was even more fired up thinking we would have a small shot at getting PM. I am still FIRED UP !!!
Fired up yes. Now, I want to know if Schwartz is healthy and ready to go from his hip injury from last year. If he is and can play like he did in 2010, then we might have found a nice RG gem in the FA market. Now saying he is a pro bowl guard yet, but profootball focus rated him as a poor man’s Marshal Yanda, who is a top 5 guard in the league. That sounds like a good improvement over Snyder. However, I think him connecting with Davis at RT is a factor too. Snyder’s skills weren’t really that much better than Rachal (pass pro Snyder was a bit better), it was just he could help out Davis on blitz pickups much better than Rachal could.
49ers should have re-sign Smith from the start, never went after Manning and went after Wallace instead of signing Moss and Manningham as Wallace is better than both of them combined. UGH. What a crappy off-season for the 49ers and all because they’re NOT as smart as they or other people think they are.
Smith didn’t sign, what were the Niners supposed to do?? Make him sign??
Peter King is reporting that Alex’s agent is in contact with the Dolphins this afternoon and…”Alex is serious about the Dolphins if they are serious about him “.
I still think he signs back here but if he signs with Miami my respect for Alex just went through the roof and I already respected him a lot.
They’re laughing about CK starting this year on NFL net and JDukes is getting owned by REisen.
They laughed about Alex starting for us last year and we still almost won the SB…let them laugh,what do they know ?
Weren’t they laughing about Alex Smith starting last year?
I knew you would bite GC. lol But it is true…
What about that Peter King story Grant??? Alex saying he would be interested in going to Miami if they are still interested in him. I doubt it,what do you think?
Maybe if Harbaugh picks Smith up at the airport Smith will re-sign.
Supposedly Alex’s agent is in contact with the Dolphins this afternoon and Alex is talking sweetly to them . lol
Jason Cole at Yahoo is calling Alex “the NFL’s version of Charlie Brown” because CBrown always got the football pulled away from him before he could kick it and he always fell on his butt. first the Niners and then Seattle didn’t want him and now Miami might be taking their offer off the table.
I’m excited about football in general. The NFC West is becoming the “Black and Blue West” with stout defenses all around.
The NFC West in 1 to 3 years will be one of the best in football.
Yes they will!
The NFC West was the best division in the 2nd half of the season.
We don’t have to wait. It is already here Brodie
Grant, you have to be smarter than to take Peter King’s baseless Mike Wallace forecasting as a valid possibility. It’s not going to happen when we just signed Manningham.
First, how do people know CK isn’t ready? If coach can devise an offence that AS could finally succeed in, you think he can’t do that for CK?
AS’s feelings are too hurt to come back-then what kind of pro and leader is he? He should come back with a major chip on his shoulder, or go to Miami with that chip, but anything else is unacceptable.
I’ve never liked PM but was willing to swallow that to have a better chance to win. I think the the dealing with PM sends a great message to the team, not even the coach’s guy, AS, is safe. Especially if he leaves TWENTY FOUR million on the table after a season where he succeeded more due to scheme than talent. Well, except for the end of the Saints game, he was money there, but the Giants game showed he wasn’t big money. LOL
…First, how do people know CK isn’t ready?
1. Offer to Alex is still on the table
2. They went after Manning
3. JH is currently talking to Alex
if CK was ready none of those would have happened……
Even Alex wasn’t “ready” for the offense half the time. He did improve, but at times was just a guy. A warm breathing body at times. Still missed guys open at times.(see: Kyle Williams over- throw in Title game, 1 or 2 missed Crabtree plays, etc). There’s probably a HANDFUL of guys right now who can get you 3000 yards & 17 TDs. Eh. Who’s to say Kaepernick couldn’t. Or Josh Johnson, under Harbaugh.
The Peyton thing isn’t the end of the world. We went to the NFC Title game with Mr. Average at QB, we can do it again, and possibly even improve with more cap room to use. Let’s see what happens.
How many Int’s do they throw to get up to 17TD’s and what record do they have and how many comebacks?
Big difference.
Is the niners going for Wallace just wishful thinking or are there actual reports of us possibly pursuing him
@Adam707
Wallace brought up the Niners and Pats as teams he would like to play for. Nobody brought up either team. Wallace said that all by himself.
And, we know the Pats are looking for a WR because Ms. Super Model tweeted the WR’s suck,and the one running the place in NE is Tom Brady.
And we know the Niners are looking for WR. I mean we got RM who did nothing last year (and had nothing to do with injury). And we signed the Giants #3 WR and are all hyped about him. Yeah. We are looking for WR. And why not go after the best?
After all if you (not personally you per say) thinks PM is the best QB available, then why not look just as hard at Wallace who has a much longer brighter future in front of him than PM has now?
I think there are two reasons we might not go after him. 1) Our new front office doesnt tend to offer big contracts to free agents who aren’t future HOF quarterbacks like PM. We do resign our best young players to big contracts though, like Bowman coming up as you pointed out. 2) We have to give up a draft pick on top of giving him a contract big enough the Steelers aren’t going to want to match it.
I should’ve know this was going to happen, being Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow 6 weeks ago.
I wonder if Bill Murray is a Niners fan..
Don’t expect the Niners to go after Wallace. The crop of 2nd tier WRs is pretty solid year in and year out these days and the Niners can get 70% of the production at 33% of cost, so it makes total sense not to pursue him.
I don’t buy it. This isn’t official yet. I see Alex Smith being the only qb, whos job was on the line, that actually went looking for new work. Take that into account and the Tebow problem the Broncos have. This is just a drawn out scheem to get tebow to sign with another team. As soon as he does Manning will officially sign with the niners.
Dude,
You are either on Crack or pulling our chain.
What a poorly written string of “sentences”. Maybe you should leave the writing to your dad.