Kevin Lynch broke news this afternoon. Citing a league source, Lynch reports the Niners offered Alex Smith a three-year contract worth $24 million. What’s more, according to the source Smith wants to change agents, too.
His current agent, Tom Condon, also represents Peyton Manning, the quarterback the Niners seem to really want. Condon is doing a great job pumping up the price tag for Manning, but he doesn’t seem to be doing anything for Smith.
If Smith does indeed change agents, it could mean he’s thinking a few things:
1. His offer from Trent Baalke is insulting.
2. Things between the Niners and Manning are serious.
3. Who’s left on Smith’s side? Is anyone on his side?
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all of this secrecy feels dirty, this is not just business, Alex Smith is being treated with no respect
To an extent I agree John, but what business negotiations are conducted out in the open for all to see? It’s unfortunate that the commodities being traded are human beings but that’s the way it is in sports.
For pretty much any other QB on the market I would think they should not be so inquisitive after the year Alex just had but obviously this isn’t any other QB they’re after.
No respect ??? 8 million dollars a year for Alex ??? That is more respect than I would give him for his play on the field. (plenty for his hard work and class and being a great team mate etc). That’s a huge raise from last year ! He earned a raise but he is still not a very good QB and not worth a long term deal or even a big $ short term deal.
Let him try to get a better deal starting for another team if he wishes. I like the kid so if he is no longer happy here since he knows he is not wanted any longer,then want him to be happy and have a nice career.Get an agent that can find another sucke…er..er , another team that can make him happy.
Alex should have taken the Niners offer (if true) of $8 mil a year for 3 years. Not bad, indeed. A raise from last year. Problem is, the Jets and Cardinals over payed for Sanchez ($10 mil a yr) and Kolb (12 mil a yr) setting the “bar” higher for QB’s. Not the Niners fault the Jets and Cards over pay. If Manning goes to the Titans or Broncos, Niners need open up the QB derby between CK and Tolzein. Alex is gone.
People from SF are just too darn sensitive. If this was NY, no one would give a rats you know what about how AS was being treated. HB saved his career and gave him an amazing offer to stay but he thought he could get more money. AS was being greedy and we all know they saying happens to pigs and hogs. I wish AS the best of luck but he didn’t earn anything close to what the Niners offered him. He should have signed a two year deal if he was so confident. Put it to you like this, Alex Smith aint riding on Jim Harbaugh’s coat tails no more….
49ers have handled Alex with respect. They made him an offer before Colts released Manning. The offer for 3 years @$24m is fair market value for a qb who was over paid for seven years.This aside, no team has offered Alex a contract.
That sums it up jon. That is more than fair market value considering no other team in the market wants him. That’s what tells you how good smith is, Chad Henne is getting multiple looks alex smith is getting no looks at all.
Smith had an elevated figure of what he was worth. I just wonder how much of that money was guaranteed. Did it disclose that info?
Treated with no respect? He hasnt signed the deal, if he signed the deal last week this never would have happened.
That’s assuming there was a deal. ESPN seems to dispute this notion of an offer existing.
Who knows. It could be there was and he walked away from it. If that’s the case then all’s fair in love and war.
And what was his agent’s advice? Sign or don’t sign? He seemed to want to sign but the “details were being work out”. By whom? His agent that turns out to be one of the biggest sleeze-bags in the league. And treated with respect? After saying for a year-and-a-half, “he’s our guy; we want him back; he’s a franchse QB” Harbaugh sneaks behind his back in secret and work out a washed-up old has-been that hasn’t played in over a year and had four neck surgeries. Some respect.
This is a move the Washington Redskins or Minnesota Vikings would make – a desperate team. Bring in Brett Favre or Donovan McNabb and we’l win the SB. It is disgusting farce.
You win long-term with a solid philosophy and a system – note the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots. Welcome Washington fellow Redskins fans.
I’m not sure it matters who his agent is. Peyton sets the bar and then the rest of the QBs will have a market.
I think it makes sense for Alex to wait until Manning is signed, no matter where he goes. If the Niners get Peyton, Alex will be one of few QBs who “Might” be able to start for a franchise. If the Niners don’t get Peyton, no he’s more valuable to them again and hopefully they are willing to sign a similar or not too much less of an offer at that point.
It is a two way street. IF the reports are correct, he rolled the dice and “disrespected” the team by turning down their offer.
Adam, Smith acknowledged the deal. What are you talking about?
Sure he did and perhaps there was “a” deal, but what were the terms of said deal? Was there more than one deal drafted? Were these the terms?
Never the less, the point I was making is: It’s a business, Alex took his chances and the Niners are taking theirs. No one should be “hurt” through all this.
We’ll all see, probably by middle to end of next week what the results are.
If he thinks he’s being disrespected get another agent and see how much another teams thinks he’s worth. I’m guessing no more than 5 million from maybe the Seahawks as their starter but more like 2 million as a backup. He only has value with the niners so that’s why the niners are doing all this because they know this is the truth.
He doesn’t deserve respect the way he’s ripped off this team.
He didn’t rip anybody off. He worked hard and did the best he could with no talent around him and Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary as head coaches. I thought the haters were finally shut-up last year, but the dishonest and duplicitous St. Harbaugh has released the dogs once again. I hope Alex signs with Seattle and wins the NFC West next year. And it could happen.
DarrelB,
This proves once again, you Smithers are not Niner fans, you are Alex man cush lovers. I hope Mr. Smith goes to Washington and we burry him 6 feet under with the best defense in the league.
DarellB, are you a 9ers fan or a Smith fan? I agree that he has not ripped this team off, but I certainly would not go anywhere near wishing for Smith to go to another team and win the west. And one thing you are not including in your comparison of the Vikings (Favre) and Redskins (McNabb): When those two teams went nuts over those over the hill QBs, there were few, if any other teams clamoring for their services. The fact that 12 teams contacted Manning’s people the day he was cut and 4-5 teams were willing to basically give him whatever he wants indicates this is likely a very different scenario than those other two.
24 million no respect, way more then he can get anywhere else.
how can you say he is being treated without respect. 8 million a year is not chump change, and he decided to not sign it… the niners would not be pursuing manning if he signed it right away. The ball was in his court and his decisions led to the niners pursuing manning.
Give me a break, 3 years 24 million… you think that insulting? He is not worth more than that at this point. If he was, another team would be offering it.
I feel sorry for Alex but he wouldn’t be in this position if he had put Nolan in his place when he was dissed big time. The impression lingers that this is a guy that can be run over. He was breaking that impression when he was holding the unofficial training camp for players. An unusual set of circumstances brought about this “business” aspect to take the “Alex is our guy” right out the window.
Stiffs are getting 10-12 million dollar contracts and Alex gets low balled in the current market.
The message that comes out of this to me is that the 49ers are looking for and upgrade and if that does not pan out they have a backup plan with the current back-up.
If you ask me, its insulting he didnt sign the 3 year 24million dollar deal immediately. The niners have given him opportunity after opportunity after being let down.
If anyone should be insulted its us. If Smith signed for 8 million a year we wouldnt even be talking about Peyton, but since he didnt the niners arent going to sit around and wait for him to get offered a higher contract.
This is a fair deal considering the coaching and the system will make or break the QB. If Alex continues to do well then he can ask for a huge contract. Also we do not have any idea what has been communicated between Alex and the organization. GO NINERS
I really feel that Smith is the one left out right now. Not from the standpoint that Alex didn’t know what was going on, but from the point that, Condon is doing everything he can for Payton and placing Alex on the back burner right now. But I do see the leverage from Condon’s perspective. If payton does NOT sign with SF, Alex Smith’s pay scale will and should increase in guaranteed money and maybe even in the length of contract. If Payton signs with SF, Smith will be a much hotter commodity because guys like Flynn, Leinert and whoever is left over does not have the experience that Smith has gotten in the past few years and Smith is still 27-28 years old.
Sea will want him, Scotty Mac is the GM there and was here when we picked up Smith, if i remember correctly. Teams like Ten, Den and other teams in the running of Payton will probably be interested in Smith more than these other guys who dont have as much playing experience.
At the end of the day, I think that Smith should stick it out with Condon and see how this turns out. It could be financially fruitful for Smith if he waits for Payton to make his decision.
Ninerlvr.
Just imagine if the Niners get to play Alex twice a year !!! Alex will get his chance to show how great he is and the niners D will get their chance to show what they knew about him when he was their QB…:)
Really? What dumb comment, so Eli and Brees couldn’t do squat against the best D in the NFL and you think Alex Smith will.
Really, you Alex lovers are unbelievable. You like the QB more than the team…stupid. IF Manning is healthy, any team that doesnt have a franchise QB would be irresponsible not to take a swipe at him. Especially, a team that technically does not have a starting QB. Again, all these Alex lovers seem to forget that AS is a FA and until he signs that Niners, they should consider all options.. Just smart business, by what is now considered by some experts as the best run team in the NFL. If they don’t get Manning, AS will come back quietly and everyone will all say all the right things and we continue to be a contender. If we get Manning, we will be much better overall team and the clear favorites to win the SB.
PS: Don’t forget ‘ol Kaepernick, whom many insiders say is progressing exceptionally well and undoubtedly the future of this franchise.
I love it !!!!!!!! DaNiners is ripping me calling ME an Alex Lover !!! LOL !!!!! This made my day !!! Thank You DaNiner !!!
In reality I drool over the prospect of getting to play a poor QB like alex twice a year. That is what I meant by our defense getting to play him and show what they already knew when he was their QB,that he is not very good and is a 3 and out machine.
Made my day !!!
…But since I like Alex personally ,but not as a QB on MY team,I would like Alex to have a chance to show up the team that didn’t want him. But I am afraid that is all it would be,is a chance. I think I would be scared for his heath running away from Aldon and Justin,his Smith Brothers ,lol.(and of course throwing the ball out of bounds while running away).
Calling TIM an Alex Lover may be the funniest thing I’ve ever seen on this blog.
I am still laughing MS ! Made my day !
DaNiners = Clueless. LMAO!
“I love it !!!!!!!! DaNiners is ripping me calling ME an Alex Lover !!! LOL !!!!! This made my day !!! Thank You DaNiner !!!”
Yeah, he must be new. :P Couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Actually Adam,since I always strive to be fair to Alex bec ause I think he is a fine man and team mate etc,I often get attacked from both pro and con alex sides . I am used to it. It’s just that usually the Pro alex fans are more hateful and persistent and the Anti-Alex group actually reads what is written before they go off.
Alex should sign with the Colts or Redskins as a clip board specialist and see how a real number one or two should really play.
Give me a break. Loyalty is a two way street. And anyone who says the niners have not been loyal to smith for the past seven years is out of their mind. Nolan dicked him for sure, but the niners have given more chances than any other NFL team would have…. by far.
I’m not sure I like the way this is going down.
I like Manning, I think he’s a class act but so is Smith. I think Monte Poole hit on some things that people need to think about. Nobody is giving much thought to what this puts in the minds of the other players.
Maybe there’s a pattern here. We want character guys! Then we sign Moss and this other guy who’s got serious baggage. How many gold helmets do these two have?
Smith is our guy! Well wait… secretly he’s not.
What are the players thinking? Is this all BS? I don’t know, I have some serious reservations about the way this is going down – provided any of it is true. There’s some speculation out there that this is all smoke and mirrors. But the Moss and Cox signings already have me questioning some things.
Good points, Adam….numerous ’9er players have all ssaqid the same thing about Jim Harbaugh, that he’s a straight up guy…this thing with Peyton Manning ‘appears’ to be going against that. Hey, don’t get me wrong, I think that haveing Peyton Manning in the Red ‘n Gold would be great. But as you noted, could the prior statements of Alex being ‘our guy’, and the secrecy surrounding Peyton Manning’s workout have a detrimental effect on the team as a whole?? Especially if Manning decides to sign with another team (which I believe he will).
Here’s what I see happening with this if it plays out. Lowell Cohn will rip in to Harbaugh like a Grizzly on a fishing trip. Seriously. Someone in the press corps is going to ask what all this means and I don’t see an easy way for Harbaugh to dance around this.
His integrity is on the line with this, in my opinion. How this thing is conducted (one way or another) would have to have an effect on the locker room. Do we trust the guy or don’t we?
@Adam…
You hit it right on the head. Grant’s ole’ man is gonna have a field day with JH on this one. It’ll be interesting to see what the final outcome is….on all fronts!
Harbaugh’s integrity is only on the line with Smith fans.
Upgrading any position regardless of personal feelings is the mark of a good coach and front office.
Do you think Justin Smith is upset the Niners might sign Manning? What about Ahmad Brooks? Dashon Goldson? Please.
This trust and loyalty stuff is getting blown way out of proportion, and it cuts both ways.
Last offseason Alex Smith got the offseason work out thing named after him, but Adam Snyder was right there helping him get that all set up. When it came time to sign a new contract he went to Arizona because he felt it was a better situation for HIM.
Josh Morgan was a guy Harbaugh said he wanted to keep, and threw lavish praise over. After Morgan broke his leg, he continued to use the 49ers facility to work out, and according to reports he did this right up until Tuesday, when he signed with Washington because he felt it was a better situation for HIM.
Now there is an opportunity for Harbaugh and the front office to in most experts’ mind strengthen their team at the most important position and they shouldn’t do it for fear of how Alex Smith might take it? That is the biggest load of bologna that I have ever heard. This is professional football the last time I checked, and it should always be about getting the best players possible for your team.
At the end of the day the players left in that locker room will play much harder for a coach and organization that proves they want to win, then the one that tries to play favorites and keep mid-level talent.
“Harbaugh’s integrity is only on the line with Smith fans.”
How do you figure that? Don’t the players have to buy in to what he’s talking? If he’s talking out both sides of his mouth, what’s the message he sends them? This is beyond the Smith / Manning deal.
I totally agree with you that ALL positions should be up for grabs, let the best man win. But don’t go out there day after day (right up until a few days ago) and say things like Alex is your long-term guy. Don’t start blowing smoke up people’s ___es and then turn around and expect them to be loyal or to give 100%. Just like in the corporate world, ain’t gonna happen – just sews dissension and poor morale.
That’s all I’m saying. I don’t have a problem with upgrading the QB or with Peyton Manning. Like I said, I think he’s always been a class act. But… so is Alex Smith and he deserves some respect.
I’m a Smith fan but I agree with MM67. These players are adults and profrssionals and this is a business. Personal feelings need put aside and whatever the team does, I have Harbaughs back and our QB, whoever it is, cuz that’s what true fans do…..unless we sign Hasselback or Garrard or something idiotic like that!
I don’t think this hurts Harbaughs integrity or reputation at all. He’s been honest how he feels about Alex…but guess what, one of the best QB’s of all time just became a FA and might want to play for us. I don’t know of anybody in his situation acting any differently if that prospect presented itself.
As to how the players will feel, did you see the tweet from Whitner that Grant posted? Most of these guys would be giddy with excitement. Don’t kid yourself. They like Alex but I guarantee they would have no hard feelings toward Harbaugh if he brought Manning in. If he does that, he tells them in no uncertain terms that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win a SB, and every player can respect that.
Barrows has it right:
http://blogs.sacbee.com/49ers/archives/2012/03/no-matter-how-it-ends-alex-smith-comes-out-of-this-weakened.html
“And no matter how it turns out, it will be very hard to believe any of the sweet nothings that leave Harbaugh’s lips from this point forth.”
No he isn’t. Harbaugh said they are always looking at getting better at every position, and that is what they are doing.
the “high character guys” thing was a nolan and singletary thing. To my understanding, i dont think Harbaugh said that to the media, did he? I think he just wants tough minded football players. Maybe Baalke has said he wants high character guys, but I definitely remember that coming from Nolan and how Nolan got rid of all of the “Problematic” players. i dont remember JH sayin anything about that
Yes he did and they had little gold helmets for the draft kids. They emphasized that character guys were 49ers.
The gold helmets were for the guys that showed themselves to have the type of football character that they wanted. Why is it so hard to realize that they want the best FOOTBALL PLAYERS possible?!?!?
I have no problem with best available. Totally understood and agreed with. I have a problem with say one thing and do the opposite.
You finally sticking with one name now?
Adam, Neither Harbaugh or Baalke ever said they were absolutely re-signing Smith. They said that they would like to, and that Smith was their guy. They offered Smith a contract, but he hasn’t signed it.
As far as say one thing, do another, do you really think that everything that is said in a press conference is reality? What would they have gained by telling everyone exactly what they were thinking?
Adam, The “We want character guys!” is something that every team says. What they really want are the best football players possible. You mention Moss and Cox as having checkered pasts, but you can also add guys like T Brown and now Aldon Smith to that if you want to get into players’ backgrounds.
The guys in the locker room will buy into the message because they know if they don’t that they will end up out of there. They also will be happy because they know their organization is totally focused on being the best and will stop at nothing to make that happen. Players love that.
Why do you think that back in the 80′s and early 90′s everyone wanted to come here. Sure Eddie D was quite generous, but they also knew the sole focus was on winning. That is where the organization is getting back to now.
I don’t buy the first two paragraphs. The Raiders, for example, couldn’t care less.
Buying in to the program shouldn’t be based on a threat that “they’ll be out there, too.” That isn’t how Harbaugh came in. Sure they had to cut some guys but it wasn’t pump them up first and then cut their legs out from under them.
This just doesn’t pass the smell test for me. And, I think Poole is right, Harbaugh’s integrity is on the line. The players will buy in when they smell the truth. The 2011 truth was “hey, we’re actually better than a lot of people say we are. Nobody has it better than us.”
What’s the truth in 2012? 2011 was a lie?
No Adam, the 2012 truth should be, “We know we are good, and we are going to kick the a$$ of anyone who gets in our way.
What are you talking about? Are you talking about the lies JH was obviously telling about Alex in every presser. We all knew they were lies,except maybe a few deluded fans who actually thought Alex was “elite” or that he was an “accurate passer” etc etc etc .lol.
It’s called “coachspeak” and every coach in the World tells his players what they need to hear in person and in the media. Some players need to be yelled at and others need to be coddled and stroked(like alex) and othes can be left alone. It’s up to a great coach to tell which player needs what.
But calling them lies is a bit harsh.It’s like asking Baalke who he is going to draft in April,you will either get dead air or a lie (that is GM speak,lol ).
I don’t buy it, Tim. And it’s not an excuse even if it’s true. Sure they pump their guys up but I’ve never seen anything like this – if it’s all true.
Essentially what we’ll have is a lying politician for a head coach. Basically, the noobs who called for the press to disappear might as well be granted their wish because there will be no point to having press conferences because nothing will be believable.
Actually, I take that back. I saw one coach do this in high school. He pampered this one kid, promised he’d help with college recruiting, full-ride scholarship, promised him the world and then, in the end, turned his back on him.
This incident reminded me of that – I had totally forgotten about it, it was a long time ago.
Anyway, guess what happened? The coach lost all respect from all of us players and nothing was the same after that. We went to state one year and the next, nobody bought in to a word the guy said and it all fell apart. True story. The guys saw him as a fraud and didn’t trust him. That was it, game over.
Adam:
Now you are starting to understand what the press and the rest of us have been saying all along.:)
…that you take what any coach says in public about his players with a grain of salt. What did you want him to say in public,that Alex was mediocre,like was and is the truth ???
Adam, That was because you were kids in high school, not grown men in professional athletics.
The kid turned out alright, he went on to play in the CFL but he had to take the hard road, essentially he swallowed everything coach told him. We all did, really. Coach was God and a Tool. He was replaced a few years after I was out of there.
“Adam, That was because you were kids in high school, not grown men in professional athletics.”
That has zero bearing on anything. BS is BS. The coach lost the locker room because he couldn’t be trusted and nobody fought for him after that. The Junior class (who happened to be damned good the year before and would have been better than anyone in the league and possibly several at state) who witnessed it the year before couldn’t be bothered.
If you’ve ever played a team sport, you’d understand. Trust is important. Hell, trust is important in any relationship, personal, sports, work.
…and they still will trust JH and TB to get them as close to winning a SB as possible. Even moreso if they get PM. The players understand what vou don’t,that what is said in private is what they count on,not what is said for the press to hear.
Adam, I have both played football, and also coached at the high school and Junior College level quite successfully.
This is professional football though, where you are paid to play, and the mindset at that level is quite different. Did Walsh lose the team when he kept bringing in Young to push Montana? Did Seifert lose the team when he traded Montana? No, because they are professionals, they want to win, and they realize it is their job.
The only people who will lose faith in Harbaugh over this is the Smith supporters.
Two quotes,
1. Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. Lombardi
2. Nice guys finish Last. Leo Durocher.
This is the mind set of what it takes to be a winner. Happily or Sadly, from your own viewpoint.
Adam,
Smith shouldve signed his deal. I’m sure you agree.
If there was a deal and he felt it was fair, sure.
If there were no terms as ESPN reports, then what?
My bone of contention has nothing to do with Manning or upgrading the position. I agree with that in theory, just be above-board and ethical about it.
If there were games played with this as the Merc and Sac Bee have suggested then Harbaugh deserves full blowback from the media and his players and us.
IF.
We don’t know the truth yet but I sure don’t like the way some of this is coming out.
That’s all I’m saying.
No problems upgrading. I like Manning as a player and as a person. Whether he can pull this off will remain to be seen because you know damned well the expectations are going to be Superbowl or nothing. But… just like all other speculation – no games have been played yet, nobody knows nuttin.
I don’t care for drama and I have no filter or tolerance for BS (it gets me in trouble at work some times.) Say what you mean and mean what you say.
That’s all.
@Adam,
I agree with on this. JH should not have pumped up Smith like he did. That was kind of bizarre IMO given Smith’s performance and track record. He should have been more upfront and taken a more neutral stance. Something like “he’s our QB, but we’ll bring in competition and the job will be won on the field”.
Adam,
I agree wholeheartedly with your point. Of course we all want the Niners to win. That’s a given, and so is the fact that we want the best players on the field. But, as we’re reminded every time a tragedy hits, there ARE more important things than football. I’d put integrity and honor on that list. I never, NEVER thought I’d question Harbaugh’s honor or integrity, but as you said, I’m not comfortable with the way this seems to be playing out.
Lying or obfuscating the facts in a press conference do not fall into the same category as what we’re seeing here; THIS is about people’s lives, and that’s about not giving the opposition anything to work with…and hell, you’re just talking to bloggers and journalists, some of whom will misunderstand what you say and report that, some of whom will twist what you say to their own agendas and report that. Many of them are not there to report the facts; that’s “old time” journalism. Today, these guys are just there to sell papers or score blog hits. That’s why it doesn’t make sense to get too upset over anything written…and in fact, Grant even writes by quoting “Source”. That means ANYBODY, including another blogger, might have said it. In other words, there’s no “news” here.
But if it turns out that any of this crap about how the Niners are handling this situation is true, that’ll be sad for this once-great team. I’m still hoping that the Niners and Alex have been straight with each other throughout…hell, maybe we’ll learn that they’ve been working this whole thing together, from the start, and all the Manning talk was to keep him from signing with Az, due to their situation with Kolb.
I’m still hoping this is not only a team to be proud of, it’s an organization to be proud of. For me, that means more than winning alone.
@Adam
I agree 100%; the loyalty issue has pretty much been played out. Alex is the only one who can walk away clean on that. The ‘character’ issue has been swapped from the players to the HC, GM, and ownership. Jim Harbaugh just lost big time…TBaalke even bigger…and Jed isn’t going to be able to slide in the fact that he said he’s going with the football people. Who’s going to be the next FA to believe in these guys? You’ll start hearing “…Yeah, remember, that’s what they told Alex..” around the locker room. It would have been SOOOOO easy just to ‘do the right thing’. Instead, it looks like you just played it a little too cute.
I think the offer to Smith was too high, even with his performance last season. I think they did nothing wrong, their job is to put the best possible team on the field and win a Superbowl. This is a business and Smith is not currently on the 49ers.
Right Jesse ! The teams loyalty is to the fans and to the TEAM as a whole,not to one player . Upgrading the QB is good for EVERYONE except Alex and a few fans scattered here and there who care more about that one player than they do the TEAM.
Alex is a multi-millionaire and will find a home with another team as a backup or maybe even as a starter for a lesser team. He will be alright. (but I still believe he will be back starting for us next season but it would be great and a huge upgrade to get PM !).
Timmy,
Your work is done here. Mission accomplished. Agenda successful. Alex Smith is toast, just Luke you wanted. The check is in the mail.
Jesse, i see where you are coming from, and that smiths contract is high, but it is fair in the sense of QBs who are starters, regardless of their track record. This is a business but Smith, regardless of his wins and losses, he has been a faithful 49er. he has dedicated alot to SF, he could have left a long time ago and done his own thing, but he said that he wanted to finish what he started here and even when the people who had hired him originally isnt here anymore, he wanted to prove his worth. he took paycuts, got hell from his previous bosses (Nolan and Singletary) and he still remained a 49er. thats why i think that this is somewhat dirty. but it is a business, but the question remained, why did he not sign his contract. was this on the niners or on his agent?
Sounds like his agent wasn’t completely honest with him. Hmmm a sports agent putting his own interest over his clients that’s a suprise.
Well said. Condon gets a much bigger commission from the PM contract than he does from $24 million over 3 years. Of course, he’s going to give PM’s contract his highest attention. Alex is smart for wanting a new agent. But a really smart move would have been to sign early and not even be in this situation.
Doesn’t it usually go 1. 2. 3. ?
:-D
Dang!
I think Monte Poole thinks too much. As far as I know-no members of the Alex Smith clan play for the 49ers…So,its only an enricher for the other teammates to have Manning taking them to the Super Bowl and all the media adoration along the way-ENDORSEMENTS!…Alex Smith brings…dust and crickets.
Also -I just posted here how fishy that the agent for both changed Smiths mind about signing…or WANTED Smith to sign and Alex is revolting.
Unlike Monte-not a worry in the world for how Smith is looked at by teammates…Alex has made a fortune for on egood year in seven…and do YOU really feel sorry for somebody who turned down 24 million dollars?
The Secret of the Universe…….. Merchandising.
Spaceballs
@Stan
Try using that “They already have millions” logic the next time you pull up to the EXXON station for a fill-up. It’s a commodity ditzoid…the price isn’t set by your logic.
Harbaugh has said all along that the Niners are going to put the best team out on the field that they can. He has always said, “roll the ball out on the field and see who wins”. They tried to get Hassleback last year and didn’t try to hide the fact to Smith then, so nobody should be surprised now.
You think Walsh was being loyal to Montana when he went out to get Young? I might have always been a Smith supporter in the past, but I ain’t naive.
From Maiocco’s latest article: “Meanwhile, the 49ers have presented Smith with a three-year, $24 million offer, SFGate.com reported. That figure is consistent with the years and total money CSNBayArea.com originally reported in December that the 49ers were believed to have earmarked for Smith’s next contract.”
So, the Niners have had the same offer on the table for Smith for months.
All well and good but what if what Chris Mortensen reported is true?
That being that the 9ers DID offer this contract but that Smith never saw the terms agreement and hasn’t gotten the opportunity to sign in the first place.
Something stinks.
Yeah so what’s Mortensen going on about with “no term sheet” for Smith to sign?
Maybe he means the Niners pulled the offer back and Smith no longer has a term sheet to sign,because PM called them and they realized they had a shot at him?
It means we have no clue and there are always rumors flying around. Everyone, and I do mean Everyone is speculating at this point. Nobody even knew the Niners worked Manning out until a few days after it happened. We aren’t going to know anything until Manning makes his decision.
So when Alex refused to sign, the Niners jumped when Manning contacted them. There are reports out now that Manning and Condon approached the Niners first. If true, I can’t blame Balke or Harbaugh for jumping into the PM race.
1. That’s below market value for a starting Top 15 QB, which Alex is, which is closer to $10 mil/yr. I don’t blame him for rejecting it.
2. Why wouldn’t they be serious?
3. Certainly not his agent, which IMO means future lawsuit.
Don’t know that he did in fact reject their offer.
Someone is not being above board on this issue. Whether it’s the team, Condon, Manning or Smith. Someone has deliberately subverted the FA process.
Maybe if the PM thing doesn’t work out they will give alex a little bump up to 10 mil a year,to help to start the process of building up his confidence again ? :)
“That’s below market value for a starting Top 15 QB, which Alex is, which is closer to $10 mil/yr.”
So far 32 NFL teams disagree with your assessment. Including the 49ers.
umm Smith is not in the top 15 QB, he was one season away of holding clipboard for Uncle Norv in San Diego, and he still might be doing that somewhere next season.
Amen!!
I agree 8 million is a very generous offer. I thought 6 million was about right. This is a signal to me that the writing is on the wall for Alex and all that is left is the press conference and where will Alex play next year.
$6.5 mil is what he made LAST year (post incentives), with a much less certain track record.
I think Alex may be getting screwed by his agent and not the 49ers. If anything, Alex should thank the Niners for bringing him back last year. I have always been an Alex supporter and I feel that he has a lot better shot at landing a new job (if he has too), because of last year. Imagine where he would be now if the 49ers cut him loose a couple seasons ago?
Alex was probably told by his agent to either wait for a four to five year offer, or see if anyone else offers more. Problem is (my guess) that the Niners were firm on that three year deal and when he left it on the table for a little while, Niners started looking elsewhere….and unfortunately no one has called yet because everyone wanted PM.
This is a business. If we get Manning, I imagine Alex will land a job in Seattle, Denver, Miami or Cleveland. I mean the dude did get to the NFC championship…regardless of how, he was still there. If he really wanted to stay in SF maybe he should’ve had another lackluster year and blame it on the new offense…..worked in the past.
A big time agent like Condon doesn’t keep his clients coming by acting irresponsible and doing business that way. I doubt he played PM against Alex to get some sort of advantage for himself. It’s more likely that he is so busy with PM that alex felt he was not getting enough of his agents personal time. In reality it might just be that no teams want tro consider Alex as a starter except the Niners,if the PM thing falls through.
You really only have two agents out there that handle QBs. Not like you have a lot to choose from. The other happens to handle Harbaugh.
I Dont feel sorry for Smith one bit. He is not a meme=ber of the Niners right now and really the Niners owe him nothing. Yes JH has said he is their guy but what do you expect him to say. It’s called having something to fall back on if what your working on don’t work. If Smith is leading the Niners this year I will root for the Niners. IF manning is i will still root for them. I root for the team not the player.
Shawn its nice to read a logical comment from a true fan not a groupie. I will cheer for any player wearing red and gold. GO NINERS
DO you wear player jerseys or just gear with 49ers logo?
Only logos for me. After half the team left in ’95 I learned not to get attached to individual players.
Same here Msc I quit buying jerseys soon after 95 too.
@mcs
There’s a rule that the players can’t take their helmets off between plays or timeouts. All you need is the brand, not the face.
As Cris Collinsworth likes to say: fans root for the laundry, not the players. He’s still unhappy about the results of the 1987 strike and the replacement players.
Yes, that contract is way under market. Smith was ranked somewhere around 8 or 9th in the league last, which at least should be 10 mil a year. Hell, the could have offered 5 years, 50 mil, with the last 2 being voidable, even that would have been better. Besides how many super bowls has Peyton won when he had everything going his way as was fully healthy anyway? Thus has the potential to blow up in the 49ers faces. Sort of like when the Warriors had that great run a few years ago,
+1
This whole situation has been taken out of the context. JH is not going to lose face with Alex or any of the 49er players or media. Alex Smith should not feel betrayed or not wanted either. This is business and a very competitive sport. PM a four time MVP and future hall of fame QB has become available and the 49er organization is kicking the tires to see how he is doing and if he can contribute to our team.
Media is making so much out of nothing, If PM does not sign with us then 49ers will decide who the future QB is going to be and Alex would be crazy not to come back to the same system and continue to improve his game. There is nothing shady or dishonest about this situation except bunch of teams trying to get better and since Alex is a class act/professional he will deal with it either way. I personally do not believe PM will chose the niners but we will see. GO NINERS
But Alex NOW knows that for 3 years in a row the team has tried to replace him with a better QB (Warner,Hasselbeck,PM). Now,even after his best year ever,they are still wanting to replace him. And even with the 3 year deal they are telling him that even if they don’t get PM that when Kaep is ready you are history. I like alex and feel sorry for him personally but if I were him I would get out of the place they obviously don’t want me and I would have my new agent find me a place they might want me .
I think Alex will be back here starting but if I were him I would leave if I could find a team that wants me.
Leaving would be committing a career suicide to go to another system and try to learn yet another playbook as well as getting along with a whole new coaching staff and players. Alex will benefit to come back and continue to improve and increase his stock.
But if PM comes Alex will either be a backup for the rest of his career or he will have to leave…and maybe still be a backup ?
I always wonder who these sources are and how much they really know.I think back to the night Harbaugh was interviewed and the different league sources and all the different places they had him going at the same time.So far I haven’t heard anything from any identifiable person that can even place the 49ers at a workout let alone all the rest of the speculation about Manning and the 49ers. I will wait until someone in the 49er front office admits they are even involved before I get excited or annoyed,but you folks carry on at least I have something to read.
Agree about the “sources”, Danny. In this case, Grant didn’t even name the source. I’m thinking the writing process goes something like, “What headline would really goose the number of hits? Hmmmm…how ’bout something about Alex’s contract offer? I know…I can quote “source”!
With regard to actual “news”…this is a pretty good place to read opinions.
Donte Whitner retweeted this yesterday: #49ers with Manning at the helm, Crabtree, Moss, V. Davis, Gore in the backfield and the #NFL’s top Defense…now that’s a dream team.” WOW!
Seems like Whitner wants Manning, too.
That ‘dream team’ label helped the Eagles so much last year, too…
Talk about a setup for the season to blow up in SF’s faces bad karma style!
Brandon,
the Eagles had good players on paper but it didn’t turn out so well on the field. The Niners are a solid team already and only needed one or two pieces to complete the puzzle.
Two different scenarios my friend. Defense wins championships. We kept ours intact. The Eagles defense could stop no one…
there is a huge difference between the Eagles dream team and this blue chip defense that plays as a whole, as a team.
Poor Donte. Now the Smithers will hate him like they hate Crabtree.
No reason to hate Whitner. He’s one of the cooler heads in the locker room so he’d help ease te pro-Smith crowd in the locker room if Manning signs (people like Gore, V. Davis, J. Staley).
They are only Pro alex as their QB as long as he is actually their QB. Remember they didn’t even vote him as a Captain and VD for one has already stated in the past that he would like to have McNabb as his QB.
Like JH ,what are the players supposed to say about alex,when he is their starter,are they supposed to gripe in the media and get fired?
Grant, Of course the players want Manning. They want the best players possible on the team.
key word is retweeted not like its words out of his mouth we have no idea how he feels about it except I’m sure he feels we have the top defense
The words WOW at the end were his.
No, they are not words out of his mouth,that could possibly be misquoted or possibly be taken out of context etc,but what we have is it in writing that he wants PM ,so much better than from his mouth !
Your right Grant how could I not realize that WOW was a code for WE WANT MANNING !
no Tim all he said was WOW and that can be taken a few different ways so who knows what context it was meant in
My mistake Danny. But it still looks like he re-tweeted it because he thinks it is true.
Players want to be put in position to win. We now have an elite defense, and a very strong ST cast. Our coaching is already regarded as one of the best in the league, and our FO is quickly gaining league wide respectability.
The PLAYERS know exactly what the next piece of the puzzle is. Payton Manning!
And dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to see Manning dressed in the Scarlet and Gold, undercenter running the 49er offense to perfection scoring 28 points a game?
The thought of me lying on my death bed thinking about Peyton Manning made me laugh, razor. God willing, my mind will be occupied with other more important thoughts.
Openminded: Thank you for placing all this speculation in its proper perspective.
As I’ve said before, Harbaugh’s brilliance is half football smarts and half the fact that his word can be trusted.
If he breaks his word, dumps the QB who is the proof of his coaching for the aging superstar who’s running from one town to another, waving his arms saying “Look at me,” like a giant version of Liza Minelli insisting “I’ve STILL got it, guys!” how much of the rest of the team’s confidence in him is lost?
Which is worth more — his integrity and the team’s trust in him to do what he says he’ll do, or grab a hot one that could win a superbowl (if his surgically-repaired neck holds up) and who Colin K can watch up close like Rogers did with Favre?
That seems to me to be the decision that has to be made and a tough one for him to make.
I’m not seeing how he has broke his word. Alex didn’t sign the contract. Its not like JH cut him. If Alex signed the contract offered, all this talk probably would not be taking place.
If Seattle really wants Alex, they can get him whenever theyb want. He is a FA. They don’t have to wait to see if we sign Manning.
Blah Blah Blah, there is no integrity or lack of trust issue here. This is the NFL and if suddenly a hall fame QB pops up why not take a look at him! Besides the contract has been sitting for Alex to sign so how can you blame the organization for checking out their options. GO NINERS
This is not boy scouts.
Grant, your posts are short and to the point. I like that! lol
There is nothing dirty about doing business the right way, which means not doing it through the media, or doing it through twitter to you and I. Good business is done quietly and efficiently like the Niners are currently displaying. People need to let our team do what it needs to do to make itself better and let the results on the field show whether they were right or wrong in their assumptions. My guess, Baalke will be looking at Executive of the Year, Harbaugh, once again, Coach of the Year and the Niners SB Champions. Winning takes balls and the Niners now have a ton of them.
Go Niner! From a loyal and true Niners fan, not a player(s) fan.
Nice post DaNiners….
That’s fine but don’t go out there days before and make a big noise for all to see that, “Smith is our guy.” There’s nothing to be gained by that other than looking like a foolish jerk who doesn’t know what the other half of the duo is doing or purposefully deceitful. I don’t know which is worse.
So now JH is a foolish Jerk! the only Jerk i see on this blog is any one who insults the coaching staff or our organization. Its easy to judge when you dont have all the facts so take a chill pill.
to me, it seems like when JH had stated that, it was true. it was before Payton got released and it was going into the offseason where both JH and Baalke said that their prime objective was to get smith back. If condon or PM’s Staff were to call the Niners HQ and say, hey PM is possibly looking to come to the west coast and become a niner possibly, you wanna come check him out? if that was the case, the why the heck not? and supposedly the Contract for smith has been out there for quite some time and the deal was going to get done “In a few days” from what Smith said. although this is only speculation, but i believe that Smith is allowing SF to check out PM and see what is going on with him, so that SF and Smith can make the best marriage possible. Plus, this also gives Smith the financial leverage that Condon and Smith both want. if 24 mil for 3 years is not what smith is looking for, but something closer to his rookie contrack @5yr/50 mil, then this is what Smith has to allow SF to do. because once PM signs elsewhere, then Smith can start searching other options and other teams and see where his worth lies. if SF is really serious about Signing Smith to a contract then they will give a fair contract to what other teams have placed in him. Remember, Seattle, Tenn, Mia, Den, and a few other areas are in need of starters right now and Smith is the youngest of the group with the most experience. and if they know they cannot get their QB through the draft, Smith will be Seriously looked at.
I believe that JH and Baalke has done nothing wrong. Im sure that there is more to it that we havent heard through the media. If smith was really being tossed aside, then why has he not have any workouts done yet? I guarantee you that Smith will have work outs lined up as SOON as PM gets his contract. Whether or not PM becomes a niner…
“Its easy to judge when you dont have all the facts so take a chill pill.”
Right back at ya, big guy.
Plenty of non-facts to go around.
you are DA man DANINERS. GO NINERS
If Peyton wins a SB with the Niners Alex is a footnote. If Alex wins a SB with the Niners Peyton is a footnote.
First of all, Smith is not under contract right now, so he’s not a 49er. Secondly, he got paid BIG when drafted then followed it up with sub-standard performance (albeit not all his fault).
Thirdly, as others have stated, with a QB like Manning available, any team needing an upgrade at the position has to at least TRY to sign him. Feelings have NOTHING to do with it. Nothing.
Alex is my dog. And i think the niners should be concentrating on signing him but Smith is not left out. a 3year $24 million deal has been on the table for a few weeks now. He didn’t sign and now the niners have entered the Manning sweepstakes. This is a business and for whatever reason Smith didn’t sign and that might come back to bit him in the a$$.
One year from now-we might be talking about the 49ers going for their second straight Super Bowl title…. TWO years from now…hee.
“In Harbaugh we trust” sure went up in smoke as soon as Harbaugh looked to upgrade a certain position on the team.
Go figure.
Exactly msc. Notice the Smither group has suddenly become very quiet?
Hey I am a Smither as long as he is a Niner. Once he is gone I want The Smith Brothers to rip his head off……
..”SORRY FOR WHAT!! -Andrew Breitbart
Good one Limb ; )
I am Brietbart !
Still talking and only a few days dead. That’s quite a feat.
msc,
No kidding huh? I get the support for Smith. I like the guy too, but this is simply abiding by the edict Baalke and Harbaugh said they would. Every year they will try to improve at every position. I don’t see a problem with this. He said Smith is his guy, and I don’t doubt he believed it or still believes it. Sometimes something unexpected happens and you change your plan. That’s business and life.
Harbaugh last said “Smith is our guy” long before anyone knew Manning was healthy.
Hell, *I* said Smith was the best option for the 49ers not too long ago.
Finding out that Manning is almost fully recovered changes a lot of things.
That being said, I’ll still be happy if Smith returns, or if Manning signs or if the 49ers end up going with Kaepernick. The defense proved it could carry a sub-par offense deep into the playoffs. The offense only needs to improve from crappy to average to get to the next level.
MM, you really need to let that go. I like Smith only if he’s a niner. In Harbaugh I’ll trust no matter what he does!
Msc,
You caught that huh? Lol
I’m following General Harbaugh and his army onward to eternal glory with a 6th World Championship.
Winston Churchill couldn’t have said it better
I was so proud of Alex for the progress he made last year. Hea growing, getting better. However, Manning (at 100%) is an elite QB and if you have a chance to get him, you do it. And 3 years/24m?!?! How is that insulting? If we actually offered him that contract and he said no, then he can leave. Nobody is going to pay him more than 8m a year period. He had a GREAT season compared to his past but still a mediocre season by NFL QB standards so he really has no right to demand anything really
8 million a year for 3 years base on the body of work in the past 7 years is a fair deal. There are several teams out with a need for a QB and this is the free agency so how come we have not heard any offers from any other team!!! I like Alex and i truly wish him the best but 8 million a year for 3 years is not insulting base on his body of work. I do not care about how other teams have overpaid average QBs and if Alex does not want to come back to this team then so be it. GO NINERS
Those are the very numbers I estimated a couple of weeks ago.
Alex could still conceivably be a 49er even if PM signs. Obviously this is predicated on PM coming in on the cheap. I’m starting to believe that Alex will re-up and be at the ready if PM’ progress were to hit a road bump.
The 49ers are quickly gaining the reputation as an Org that will do whatever it takes to win NOW, and players around the league will be chomping at the bit to be a part of this.
Exciting times in 49er Nation!
“Alex could still conceivably be a 49er even if PM signs. Obviously this is predicated on PM coming in on the cheap. I’m starting to believe that Alex will re-up and be at the ready if PM’ progress were to hit a road bump.” — AES
Good point…I have been wondering if that is exactly what SF is trying to pull off…a hard-to-believe longshot at best, but imagine what Alex might become with a couple of years being tutored by Manning…and how much Greg Roman might also improve!!!!
exactly. hes only gonna be better next year. thats why i dont wanna see him without a job an i dont wanna see him anywher else. i know its a business but hes done everything right, if he leaves i hope it comes back to bit us in the ass an he works us from wheever hes at
The defense had the weight of Alex Smith hanging around their necks like a milstone and they responded by playing lights out.
How much money has the 49ers given A.Smith over the years 50mill…I am just guessing. Manning is taking his honey to the Blue Ridge Mt to think about this. As provactavive as this might sound the Manning are a very conservative family and S.F. Gay Area really isn’t their kind of place However you only spend time there during Football and If one Manning can live in the cess pool known as NYNY then the whole culture thing is “Moot”, its all about the ring. You think the 49ers are going to be worst than last year? LOL@ If the Niners get Manning we could be looking at a couple of SuperBowl wins in a couple of years. That is the reality of it.
Some of u folks saying Alex smith is getting done dirty is ridiculous. If he thinks he so good, he should go ask for the type of money he thinks he’s worth from another team. He’s worth about 8 million a year to the niners but only about 5 million to any other team. In my opinion, I believe manning contacted the niners through condon or smith who said earlier in the week that he was cool with the niners offer would have signed it already. If that’s the case, I think the niners told him they would love to have him if they can get him at a discount (about 15 million year) since he contacted them and out of the three teams he’s considering, they are his best chance at winning a super bowl now. That still gives the niners wiggle room to sign FA’s and draft picks now and in the future. I believe TB and JH did the right thing and will continue to do the right thing for the franchise.
Grant just come out and say you don’t like Alex and dont think he is the best QB for the 49ers. Using why other players say to say what you really want to say is childish, just admit it like a man! At least the haters are honest in their dull assessments
Grant has said that Alex is not the best QB for the Niners.He has said that they should sign PM. Shoot,the Niners themselves have said as much with their actions,trying to get a better QB for 3 years in a row is not exactly saying alex is the best they can do.
Tim did you realize you speak for a lot of people? I mean you know what coaches say, owners, GM’s, other fans and players around the league. Do you work for the NFL cause you sure seem to know a lot of what people say and what they really mean. Fascinating skill you have, you should market it.
I guess being retired I just have too much time on my hands and when I am not playing golf I am reading and listening all about the Niners and the League. I know you were tryting to be sarcastic but actually you hit the nail on the head…I doi know everything about the Niners there is to know,for the most part. But so do many of the other fans on this site and others. Time for you to catch up,if you have the time to put in.
Tim you should spend more time playing golf then trying to come on here pretending you know every intrical idea, plan, and opinion of everything 49 ers.
Just because you read the articles on the internet does not mean its true and you know more than the average fan. Most of these journalis are expressing their opinions just like you and me and you know what they say about opinions right?
Latino Heat, I don’t think he understands the concept of opinions. Just let him be.
Do you really think that Donte Whitner is the only guy that feels that way? I bet Crabs, Gore and VD are licking their chops. Akers may feel under-utilized this season if the move comes to fruition though.
Prime,
I winder who the hater is now. Ban yourself from this blog. Tge Alex Smith blog will be up tomorrow in Jacksonville!!!
This is exciting
B Lloyd signed with New England.
Taking them out of the Mike Wallace sweepstakes. The Niners should have very little competition if they want Wallace.
The 49ers can easily fit Manning under the cap. Do you think they can squeeze Manning AND Wallace under?
Wallace has until April 20th to sign the tender or he becomes an exclusive rights FA. This one might drag on a while.
Maiocco and Barrows say the Niners can fit both Manning and Wallace under the cap.
And Manning?
Already answered!
I don’t want cap hell….like 2004 or what ever that year was..man that was some ugly stuff
“Wallace has until April 20th to sign the tender or he becomes an exclusive rights FA. This one might drag on a while.”
So if he becomes an exclusive rights FA then he is the property of the Steelers and no other team can contact him, correct? If thats the case then we need to make him an offer before that happens. Is that the case?
@Montana I know April 20th is the deadline for RFAs to sign their tenders.
I’m not 100% sure that he defaults to an exclusive rights FA after that date. I think I’m reading the CBA correctly but the legalese is killing me.
I know, every time I think I have this stuff down, it changes! Grant, Do you know?
RFAs usually don’t sign until April. Teams will approach Wallace eventually – they don’t want to tie up their money for a week right now.
Once you leave the 49ers you are the enemy….
1st. I have a few concerns. I don’t like one agent representing 2 QB’s that are vying for same job. Not saying that any wrong doing is going on by the 49ers organization, just wonder if agent and not Smith is what stopped Smith form signing before free agency.
2nd. What I am hearing about the contract Manning wants. I think he should take a discount to play for the niners 15-16 million, so we can make a push for Mike Wallace, so we can sign a RG to protect his neck. We Do have some needs and will need some money to pay them.
But like any true fans I will always root for the 53 players that suit up regardless of who they are, Smith Manning, CK, Tolzien whoever
the first post was correct, alex is being treated with NO respect as far as the media goes. i hope harbaugh an romans trip to see peyton was just that, a trip. hes 36, he has the surgeries an we havbe no clue how long hel last. now yes it wud be beautiful to have a passer as good as peyton with us the upside is HUGE but do u guys realize we can get it done with alex too. ya alex may not throw for as many yards but wel get to where we wana go. idk this ones really hard but were guaranteed to be on the safe side stayin with alex. peyton is the biggest risk of this decade.
In other news: Trent Baalke’s wife is holding out until he gives her $9M a year. Trent has assured her she is “his gal”. Sources say Trent flew to LA to watch Pamela Anderson workout last Tuesday. Mrs. Baalke is thinking about getting a new lawyer. Pambo will make her decision by Tuesday. Person with knowledge of the situation say Pam wants $30M guaranteed and $90M over the next five years. She is okay with an escape clause if Trent gets VD or Crabs.
ROFLMAO! Awesome.
Funny !
Ya’ll need to get a life. Go out to dinner or something.
There is alot to do in the Bay Area. The only real issue to discuss is the fact Manning will have lost his mind if he doesnt sign on with SF.
The next banter item is the SF front office would have been fools not to offer Manning a deal. If Alice wants to sign somewhere else then he should and could. F8ckin greedy B*stards!
You get paid millions to do what your told. Similiar to what most Americans go through everyday for small change. I need to get back to the green room. Yay!
I’m off to the city for dinner and of course a nice bottle of wine. Call me when PM hits the walkway at 4949. lol
I demand reports on the dinner and the wine.
(lol) Hofe, I’m sure you’ll see a plane flying over with the skywriting: PM IS A 49ER!
Enjoy your dinner dude!
the suspense is killing me. i need to know now
It all goes like this:
1) This is a ruse to keep Peyton out of the NFC west. Arizona was on a deadline so it worked there, Rams don’t care and Seattle was apparently interested in the beginning but couldn’t secure a workout. So in that sense it all worked out.
2) This may depend on who called whom. If it was Manning’s camp calling the Niners, it could be a done deal. If it was the other way around? Who knows, Denver has the best cap space, Tennessee offers home cooking and the Niners are closer to a trophy.
In any case, you won’t know today, this is the Manning’s wedding anniversary, shop talk is probably not allowed. ;)
I work for AP and just over heard a converstation that I was not supposed to hear….Manning is not going to sign with 49ers and Smith will announce on Monday that he will not sign any offers from the 49ers and will move on with a new agent. Looks like this whole thing backfired in the 49er’s face, now they have no established qarterback!!
It is still good news, I was not expecting that the Niners getting Manning and I’m ok with Smith moving on, if Harbaugh can change Smith career, imagine what he can do for Kaep.
It is scary but I agree, I want upside, Bring in Josh Johnson and one more QB to compete, we have mannigham and we need a guard, I Hasselbach gets cut use him for a year.
I work for AP and just overheard a conversation that I was not supposed to hear. Manning is not going to sign with the 49ers, and Alex Smith is going to announce on Monday that he is rejecting the 49ers offer and will move on to another team with a new agent.
Yeah,and the Associated Press is so trustworthy ,lol ! And besides,do you really think we believe that Manning has told the AP and told them to hold it until Monday or Tuesday , LOL !
But really,I just heard something I was not supposed to hear,PM is coming here to play for free and so is Fitts from Arizona ,etc etc etc…
Espn reporting Manning is still in Tennesse.
Yeah right
Oh well life goes on.
I saw a crashed UFO story, complete with dead alien body photos come across the AP Leafdesk 20 years ago. (I actually may still have the photos, I used to collect all the Niners and Giants photos and still have them – got some great 4-color seps of Montana.) Talk about a weird one. The next day, the story was off the wire, no story budget, nothing, no record of it anywhere. The thing had been completely erased.
Talk about a weird one. I kid you not, true story.
Just watching NFL Net. Wyche takes Denver because they have a ton of cash to instantly upgrade, including Wallace and I forget who else. Heath is taking Tennessee. He figures familiarity with surroundings, etc. He made a good point, how come Jacksonville isn’t in this?
Has anyone noticed how quiet the news of FA visits to the 49er hq the last 2 days? Besides this PM talk, there have been no guest WR visits or OL visits.. This deal might be more and more of a reality.
The Brandon Lloyd and Mario Manningham visits were really quiet. Tumble weed blowing across a ghost town quiet. They are shoring up the cap in anticipation of PM coming to town? We better strike gold getting a right offensive lineman and WR(s) in the draft.
Kendall Wright in the first round.
Unless we give that up for Wallace!!!
Gawd, I hope so…
Underpaid??? Top 10-15 QB? Are we talking about the same QB, did we watch the same games, have we checked the same stats??? I think not. Alex is a serviceable QB at best, a Trent Dilfer on the Baltimore team who’s defense won the superbowl. 8mil a year is more than fair, last time I looked we were at the bottom of the barrel when it came to passing. Having an o.k. year does not warrant 10mil a year.
Alex must have bought into all that Harbaugh “elite” QB stuff he was saying to pump Alex up. $8 mil a year was a fair offer to a QB who had one winning season in seven.
We don’t need manning to win. Get an o lineman and forget all the BS.
…and you don’t NEED a new car either,your Hugo can still get you to work on time,maybe . :)
What’s a”Hugo”? You mean a “Yugo”?
Manning is what then, a Porsche?
Yep an older Porsch but one that is supposed to be in great shape,at least that is what the used car salesman told JH and TB when they had their guy look under the hood. :)
I hope the suspension holds up on those tight curves!! :-)
Oh and what about the TEAM?? They offer the kid a contract he complains about how many years its for and doesnt sign. So should the 9ers beg a mediocre QB to stay and sign? I think not. So if he is OUR GUY isnt it a slap in the face to the organization when he did not sign? It takes two he stayed yes, but the organization did not cut him. If he was that good wouldnt he have signed and moved on to greener pastures? Still sad we did not sign the local boy Mr.Rogers….
I agree addressing the O-line would have been great after the Baltimore game, although Smith was holding on to the ball a bit too much for my taste.
Not a big Alex fan, but do believe that he Will be even alot better this year. Draft a lineman, reciever, RB, d line. Games are won in the trenches. You can’t be successful running for your life most of your career. Anyone that has ever played knows what it takes to win. Pass block, open holes for the RB and pressure the QB
Cant feel sorry for Alex. He originally signed a nearly 60 million dollar contract that was later reworked and after taxes and agent fees etc. he has still managed to pocket millions thanks to the 49ers. Hes a nice guy, loyal and hard working but hes also a mediocre QB. He has been treated extremely well by the 49er organization. Even if we do not sign Manning I think Alex days with the 49ers are over. Doesnt break my heart.
You could be right.
“He has been treated extremely well by the 49er organization.”
Yeah, Nolan and Singletary were great for him.
Next.
I think he is done in SF.
Scoop!.. Peyton Mannings tailor tells me he has an order for gold and red suits,Tuxedos, and jammys…
Rams have aquired Manningham.
The false report from a few hours ago is now a true report, heh.
On to Wallace, then. :P
All the teams that were believed to be taking a WR in the first round have signed FA WRs. The 49ers might get great value at #30 now.
Mock drafting is silly but really fun.
Drama drama drama why can’t we just sign manning witout out Alex getting his thong up his !@&$ lol
I’m on Alex Smith’s side. He’s a great kid. He displays the kind of character and perseverence that we should root for. In fact, I think many 49er fans do root for him for this very reason. Moreover, he’s become a pretty good QB who brought the team to the NFC Championship. I think we should stick with him. He has not hit his ceiling. Manning is on the downside of his career and is damaged goods. It would be foolish to pay him $90 Million over five years. We’ll do just as well with Smith or Kaepernick, especially if we get those guys a top target to throw to like Mike Wallace.
Well said BSofSF. With that being said, do you think the conservative, low salary, rah, rha approach with Alex is better than winning or being real close to winning it all with Manning? If healthy, that’s the key in all of this, regardless of money, does Manning make the 49 ers better?
If he has not hit his ceiling as you put it he’s gotta be damn close IMHO.
Well, 75 minutes ago, your humble opinion had Manningham a Ram.
There have been a number of signings in the last few hours. One that intrigued me was Alex Gonzalez going to the Pats. Here’s a guy that was injured and couldn’t get back on the field. If right he’s a steal, the Niners should have kicked the tires on that one.
That guy hasn’t been right for a few years now. I think the draft is the way to go at this point. He did show some promise his first two seasons though. Then again, maybe Peyton made him look better then he is….. : )
Anthony Gonzalez is intriguing but the poor guy can’t stay on the field.
Totally off topic here: I like Lowell’s blog posts but I really, really hate the commenting setup. Ugh.
It’s better then utilizing Facebook, that crap is annoying. Did you get some corned beef to absorb some of that scotch buddy?
Corned beef is almost ready. Instead of green beer I’m going with green gin.
I’m saving the rest of the scotch for a special occasion, heh.
Good times.
PFT reports that Manningham has signed with the 49ers.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/17/manningham-lands-in-san-francisco/
Baalke is a ninja.
Good stuff there!
There we go. I like that signing.
Headline: 49ers sign Manning(ham)
@msc
You got that one hot off the wire. Well , Well, Well.
was this a low ball contract as well
rcving core does look on paper better
ESPN just reported..
PM will be in Santa Clara tomorrow to sign with the 49ers.
PM or MM?
maybe u meant MManning ham
ok will it be fleener or CB in 1st round
post the link…. i have to see with my own eyes
Manning… Ham.
Talk about your covert operation. Excellent. He was the guy I was targeting all along.
so maiocco says peyton has requested to bring his own offense to the next team….
interesting
JG, do you have difficulty with reading comprehension? Below is the piece from Maiocco, and he actually says the exact opposite….
“During his meetings with the teams courting him, quarterback Peyton Manning has not been selling himself and his way of doing things.
Manning, who spent his entire Indianapolis Colts career in the same offensive scheme, is not interested in bringing everything he mastered to his new team, an NFL executive told CSNBayArea.com.
Instead, Manning has asked questions and listened attentively while keeping an open mind to new ideas.
And that might be the 49ers’ best selling point to the four-time MVP.”
Jg said exactly what MM stated on Comcast Sportsnet 10 minutes ago.
omg, then he is saying something different than what he had written just an hour ago.
i just heard it again and maiocco is a bit convoluted…..
he did say peyton would want to bring his system with him…..but followed it up with peyton is open to throwing less passes and letting the running game be more of a facet that would normally be a peyton led offense….
so probably like grant suggested somewhere in the middle
When Manning had a decent running offense he called a lot of runs. He only got pass happy in the last few years with the crappy O-Line and Addai.
Even with Addai he still called a reasonably balanced attack.
Boy, how things change in a week!
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2012/03/11/gameday-alex-smith-exclusive-we-are-working-out-the-details/
Crazy.
yep this is the one piece of information that is not congruent with this whole situation….
i could understand the peyton drama with what jed york statement saying ball is in AS court and assume that AS didn’t sign opening the door to peyton and would find congruency with what followed….
i can also understand baalke taking the lead in finding out the where for all on peyton if the AS contract is not signed just because it is his job…..
i could understand JH backing off with any public statements because even though he may have lots to say about the choosing the QB position it is trent after all who is responsible for who is on the team overall and JH works for trent…
all this makes sense to me ….
but the hallway interview doesn’t if AS is basically saying he agreed to the 3yr deal and he basically said it publically for all intents and purposes….so why wasn’t it signed….is condon screwing with one of his clients for the betterment of his own business….
this is also an interesting storyline…..
“is condon screwing with one of his clients for the betterment of his own business?”
I think you may have nailed it right there.
Think about it. Bigger commission check for Condon representing Manning. He just puts Smith on the back burner, doesn’t negotiate anything.
Or… and this is a face burner of a whacked out conspiracy theory but what if…
1) Randy Moss was rumored to be in talks with New Orleans. He’s thinking: Marques Colston may not return, maybe I can get some field time. Who would I rather take passes from, Alex Smith or Drew Brees?
2) The Niners call Moss. “Hey, we’re thinking we may go after Peyton Manning, you interested?” Hmm… now it’s a different ball of wax. Niners have the best D going, they beat the Saints, made it to the NFC championship game AND they’re going after Manning? “Sold, I’m there.”
3) Colston and Moss are reported to have signed on the same day.
4) They use the same thing on Manningham: “As you’ve seen, we’re in negotiations to pick up Manning, you interested?”
5) In the end, it’s too much money to risk on Manning, Niners pull out.
Weird conspiracy theory for the night. Haha. :P
If that happened Moss would check out, I think.
timing seems right for those kinds of conspiracies
i love drama but i didn’t really like the drama of peyton’s place…..
the only thing i am not looking forward to when peyton signs is reading the i told u so from the AS agenders because they actually had a gift drop into their laps with peyton not returning to the colts ….
this drama doesn’t transpire …. this is AS’s black swan
My fear is we become this year’s Eagles. I liked the under-appreciated team nobody thought would do anything. Not sold on the “dream team” approach but… we’ll have to see how it goes.
Walsh & Co. did this once or twice, maybe not on this scale and it worked out but I gotta wonder.
Isn’t that the truth…..
My biggest worry when it comes to football.
Nfl net just had all their experts say what we all know, that Alex would have no options and certainly no team to offer as much as the Niners offer, if Manning comes here.
So maybe he would stay for one year since they say he would probably be a backup wherever he went ? But I would hate to lose Tolzien.
Alex will be an ELITE back up QB in the NFL next season.
That’s not true. The Seahawks were interested last year.
Watch what happens if Manning goes elsewhere.
Then Smith turns around and plays the Niners and the Seahawks off against eachother. Why not?
Then he gets too high priced and we go with the future now. This isn’t like last year when there were really no other options.
All fine and dandy if you think CK is ready. If not, you just brought in two pretty high-powered receivers for…?
Colin Kaepernick or the Free Agent they bring in to compete with him. Why is that so hard to comprehend?
OK, then you’re stuck in the same conundrum as last year. Who’s on the FA list worth getting? Provided Flynn heads south with Philbin, who’s left? Henne, maybe? Did he go somewhere?
You’re at 30 in the draft, no QBs in sight, then what?
You’re left with… CK better be ready. Or maybe Tolzien pulls a rabbit out, a la Kurt Warner and goes from obscure to star.
JG:
That was my worry ,that PM would want his own offense and JH would not want to have wasted Kaep’s year in the previous system.If that is the case its probably Denver or Tenn.And like I said all along Alex will be our starter agsin until Kaep is ready.
Tim, JG is off with that nonsense. MM actually said the exact opposite. Manning is said to be open to new ideas.
no i don’t think i misheard the maiocco audio from an hour ago….guess will get that figured out in time
Heat:
Get off it and grow up a little.
Maybe the O lineman from Stanford ?
There’s another guy too, big tall kid, supposed to be a monster, and of course I’ve just blanked on his name but he’s supposed to be worth a look.
Hammer:
I Heard MM say on the radio this morning what you said, not what JG reported. But who knows what PM is really thinking. I thought few weeks ago when we knew PM was going to be a fa that he would certainly want to bring his offense with him and I thought then it would eliminate us as a landing spot. But then this morning MM said he heard PM was saying wanted a change to a system that would not require him to pass quite so much and would welcome a change to re-energize him.Who knows ?We will find out on mon or tues.
my information comes from what i heard on CSNbay sports from a maiocco audio where he said peyton would want to bring in his system…that was about an hour ago
no i did not hear peyton say it….
Jason La Canfora just tweeted if Manning signs with Niners, “Alex will be scrambling. I bet best he gets is 1yr/$3-$4M from seattle.”
Ouch!
I bet it’s Seattle, too.
well if AS comments in the hallway hold any water he may be getting a check cut from the condon agency as well….if condon basically kept AS from signing….
Ouchie!
Grant:
That is pretty much what I posted a few min ago after I saw him and his buds on nfl net. I feel sorry for Alex if we get PM but I will be overjoyed for me and my team !
John McClain just tweeted this: “Some of those who have pursued Manning the hardest believe he’s head to San Francisco. If so, congrats to the 49ers.”
John McClain is just a hater. He knows nothing about football.
QB situation aside …. i think the niners have done an excellent job positioning for the draft being at the #30 pick….they are more in control of manuevering around to get what they want position wise whether it is RG, RB, CB, or another rcvr/TE….
this is what i was expecting from them and it occurred to my satisfaction
manningham is a solid pickup…..not really sexy but solid….
if the peyton drama wasn’t going on i would say the niners had recovered to the same level of competency as last year with manningham taking morgans spot and moss taking edwards…..defense remains intact…..special teams is typically a revised look every year depending on rookies and 2nd tier free agents…..
so now it is about tipping the scales…..do u do it with an AS/wallace plan B or a peyton manning plan A…..
it is a grinder…..
do niners takes peyton’s system which means the rest of the offense has to learn his system(which Moss and Manningham would have had to make the change anyway) his glory past (and his NFL mental acuity at pre-snap reads) and recent slide to a 92 QB rating with slightly above average post season stats for 60million guaranteed over the next two years (yes i know 5yr 90 is how the paper will read)
or do they take the possibly improving enigma that is AS (who clearly improved with an in season 92 QB and 105 post season QB rating) and is more mobile and could make that leap to making JH offense his own) with a shot at wallace……yes i know AS shortcomings but he did perform to JH scheme and protect the ball philosophy and would think he would have a positive follow-thru to the next level of execution….and maybe JH is keeping quiet now because he isn’t sold on AS getting to the next level…i can’t say
the niners have done a very good job being 19 or 20 free agents down to getting most everything in place to enter the draft with a strong playing hand….as a fan it feels comforting the org looks like they got their shi*te under control
Grant:
Is that John McClain ,as in Diehard fame ? Man I hope his so called inside sources are right. . If not then he mifgt shoot or blow them up ? :)
Yes, but now he covers the NFL for the Houston Chronicle.
More McClain: “First time Harbaugh pitched Stanford to Andrew Luck, he was sold. Maybe Peyton is sold after listening to Harbaugh’s pitch.”
Jg:
Was it live or was it a replay of MM on ESPN radio in Seattle from this morning…with John Clayton.?In that interview Mm said just the opposit of what you said. I also heard Mm say the same as with Clayton on another show also,so MM would have had to reverse his story 180 .
can’t tell u whether it was the seattle’s ESPN feed…..it was on comcast sports channel….
Grant:
What are you still doing hanging out on the blog,do you expect more action tonight or is it still looking like mon or turs for PM’s decision?
Adam:
The Eagles tried to piece together a bunch of parts on defense and we have all starters on defense returning.We just are trying to ipgrade the weak link at QB. Not the same so dont worry.
I judt watched the Mm video on csnbay area and he said PM is not wanting to bring his offense with him. That is the same thing he said on the radio with m. clayton. maybe you misundetstood ?
MM said an nfl executive told him Pm is not interested in just bringing his offense with him but would welcome a change.
Schefter tweets: “ESPN’s Chris Mortensen reports that Manning still has not informed any of the three teams when to expect a decision, according to sources. “
MM said the exect is a guy intimately involved in the PM negotiations.
OMG can’t believe all the comments.
Snooze you lose! Surprise Surprise welcome to the NFL! Love Alex but if Manning signs, I will be grateful for my guts not getting all twisted all over the place watching Alex. Got to admit, he is my biggest source of consternation watching the games. Forgive me for being weak. 3rd down conversion, here we come.
Grant, one more thing – you should run for mayor here in Santa Rosa. Anyone who can stir this much interest and comment has a political future. Throw you hat in!
I hope Archie Manning is telling his middle child “go West young man?”
Oops not a question, sorry grammar police.
Grant – what is your gut feeling? Will PM be a Niner?
Yes.
Baalke & 49ers sure low balled Alex Smith -NO wonder he didn’t jump all over it. Based on last years performance there are a few QB’s worse than Alex Smith making more. If Manning does sign with 49ers will feel badly for him. His agent failed him!
Something from the outside of Football. Peyton has played in Indianapolis, which is extremely conservative. Why I think he may not sign with the 49ers is because this is the left coast. He has been in the midwest for his entire college and pro career. We may be a little too over the top left for him. Just something to consider in the mix.
Central Valley California is very conservative. It’s only a short hop on 580 from SF to the valley. 130 out of Santa Clara leads instantly into a beautiful rural area.
Manning wouldn’t have to park his family in SF to play for the 49ers.
@msc
It is still no short commute.
His agent really failed him if PM comes here because the word is that the best he might get from Seattle is one year at about 3-4 million.
Who starts at right guard? Seems like we can now take best athlete available, could be fleener or Dark horse, RB from Miami.
Rebel – Thank our lucky freaking stars it won’t be Chilo!
Can’t wait to see what asinine team signs that sloth!
Yeah Chilo might get Manning killed or he may be improved but what a risk!
Why bting in any other qb’s if we get PM ??? We already have two young qbs for the future and Kaep is the backup.we are set at qb even if we get alex back for a year as starter.
Both these young QBS could be good, Johnson may come because of his relationship with Harbaugh if he does not get better options. Kinda wierd that manning replaced Harbaugh in Indianapolis and is now being pursued by Harbaugh. It just shows what a good coach will do for a franchise.
Everyone says that Kilgore will compete with a vet free agent at rg. We could draft the T from Stanford and start him at rg.
With the # 30th pick the San Francisco 49ers select David DeCastro RG from Stanford! He can start this Sunday if needed!
won’t be their at 30 but that would be a great pick/
Smith isnt lowballed IMO he’s got a very fair price from our franchise and the fans who think otherwise should root for him on his new team that clearly will not be us, i dont think we can have DeCastro @30 we need to trade up ,than seems more logical we trade up in the 2nd for Silatolu of Midwestern State he could be a sleeper like Iupati also not from a big school and how this worked out :D, my guess at 30 would be BPA who’s on there list high.
The biggest fool in this story is Alex Smith, he knows that the only team who wants him is SF, so when he learned that PM was released he should have signed that paper, period. For now he is risking no job because of that. That is downright stupid behavior.
niners want SB..sign manning now
if the niners bring back alex smith ..he will making fun to every 49ers fan .to miss another super start …..don’t forget the aaron rodgers draft
Jeez, this is so simple.
The Niners offered Smith a contract. He rejected it and I’m sure this was during a lengthy process. Harbaugh then thinks, shoot, I saved this guy’s career and this is how he treats me? Okay, let’s see who else wants to play. Now Smith sees he messed up bigtime and is whining…
You guys got it backwards…
Harbaugh the Godfather? Will Smith wake up with a HorseHead next to him?
Street, why is it assumed he rejected it without coaching from his agent that also represents PM? It may have been poor advice from his agent or the 9ers may have said we’re looking into PM that put things on hold. Remember, CMort said he didn’t get a term sheet (written offer) and KLynch said they offered $24M – who is credible here? TBD.
8 million for alex is more than reasonable.other than the saints game he didnt really do anything to deserve a bigger contract.and to be honest compare to montana,young and even garcia he doesnt really look like a niners type qb…i mean accurate,smart,and clutch…so if we cant land payton,we should go after flynn…hes been watching the game on side lines and learning for rogers and mccarthy….two really good resources..and if not just go with our youngster Colin Kaepernick..in any case we are better than last year better receivers,same defense and same special teams…all we gota do is have another solid draft.
MFlynn or MHasselbeck would be good pick ups. I don’t really see MF if CK is the long term answer – it would send a bad message. Work on CK’s skills during the offseason and get the kid ready to start NOW.
PM to Niners pretty much done deal. AS to visit the dolphins…….
This is gonna be pretty sweet when Manning picks Tennessee and Smith tells the 49ers to go F themselves and we’re left trying to sign David Garrard.
What ever happened to if it aint broke dont try and fix it.
I assume Alex Smith must be a 49ers fan, because he severely overrates Alex Smith.
Omg that is dumb