SANTA CLARA — Colin Kaepernick was interviewed by Bay Area reporters next to the 49ers’ practice field Tuesday afternoon. Here is a transcript courtesy of the 49ers’ P.R. staff.
What are some of the things that you hope to get out of an exhibition game like this?
“We get to see where we’re at as a team. Especially a lot of the young guys that we have, we get to see how they play in a live game.”
Any special motivation or meaning given that it’s the Ravens you’re practicing against, you’ll be playing against them, given the Super Bowl history?
“No. This is preseason. If it was a regular season game, yeah it would be a little bit different, but right now we’re trying to make sure we go out and do things we need to do as a team to get better and get ready for the season.”
You talked about cleaning up the offense and offensive coordinator Greg Roman talked about it right now. In what ways have you seen out here in practice that becoming more efficient and the efficiency that you guys have been talking about?
“I think everyone just being on the same page. We’ve simplified some things. Made it easier for us to get in and out of plays. And, I think that’s helped us a lot so far.”
In what ways is WR Quinton Patton maybe different than he was last year? I realize health is a big priority, but beyond that, just the way he’s running routes and stuff, how has he changed?
“I think just how comfortable he is in the offense. He’s always been a great route runner. He knows how to get separation and how to win. Last year it was just a matter of him being comfortable and going out and using his skillset to get open. This year he really is comfortable with everything that’s going on. So, he can set things up better. He knows how to run routes to win.”
What have you seen from WR Stevie Johnson and how eager are you to see him on the field?
“Stevie is Stevie. He gets open. He makes plays. Very excited to see what he does in live action for us.”
It seems like you have a lot of depth at that position now don’t you, certainly more so than last year?
“Yes, very much so. A lot of great receivers. A lot of great opportunities in this preseason to see some of our younger guys and what they can do and how they fit into this offense.”
How quickly is he picking up the offense? Is he as comfortable as Quinton Patton is?
“Who?”
Stevie Johnson?
“Stevie’s a pro. He’s picked up the offense quickly. He makes very few mistakes in the little time that he’s been here. As a quarterback, you like to see that.”
Is cleaning up the terminology and kind of simplifying and making it more efficient help with new faces pick up the offense like that?
“Very much so. We had a lot of things that we have changed along the line just because we knew where we started. And, for people coming in it was harder to pick some of those things up and harder for them to figure out how we got to some of those things. Cleaning it up has made it a lot easier for the younger guys and the new guys coming in.”
What specifically will you work on this week in the game and the practices playing against guys that aren’t the 49ers?
“Winning. You go out, every time you run a play, every time you step on the field you do it to win and that’s what we plan to do.”
What do you think of Greg Roman’s ability to roll out to his right and find someone in the back of the end zone?
“He’s much improved. He’s getting better every week. I’m expecting big things from him next week.”
FB Bruce Miller said he spent much of the offseason here by himself, weight room to himself. Greg Roman said he hasn’t lost a step, he’s better than ever. What does that mean to have a healthy Bruce Miller?
“It means a lot. I think everyone knows how much Bruce does for this offense and what he means to this offense, so having him healthy and back is a huge asset for us.”
Your time capsule was featured in the 49ers Museum. What do you remember about the assignment and writing that back, I don’t know, 20 years ago?
“To be honest, not a whole lot. I really remember it was an assignment- it was writing to your future self. When were 18, we were supposed to open it and basically what was important to you now, what you like now and where you think you’ll be. And I remember the assignment, but almost everything of mine was sports related. So, I guess I was on the right track.”
Do you remember winning the trophy for the Vikings? The Pee-Wee trophy.
“Yeah, we had a pretty good Pop Warner tradition for the Vikings. We had a pretty good run for some years there, but that was just another team we just focused on winning.”
Did you play defense too?
“Yes, safety too.”
How old were you when that was? The time capsule.
“Ten. Something like that, ten, 11.”
There seems to be a little bit more tension on the practice field than the first three years that you were here under head coach Jim Harbaugh. To what do you kind of attribute that? Is it more padded practices, just a different assembly of personalities or what?
“You said more tension this year?”
Yeah, there seems to be.
“I think it’s the level of competition is higher. The first year, everyone was just trying to understand and see where they fit in. I think now everyone is confident in what our offense is doing, what our defense is doing and we feel like we have such a high caliber of player here that getting a starting spot, getting a spot on this roster is difficult and people are fighting for those jobs. I think that’s where a lot of the tension, a lot of the frustration comes in is people fighting and grinding to try and find their place.
What do you expect to get out of this game, a preseason opener, how much do you learn about yourself or the offense realistically?
“It depends on how much we play to be honest. But, as a team you can find out a lot, especially with the younger players because they’ll get a lot of the playing time. You get to see who can step up to the challenge in a live game and who kind of weeds themselves out. And, I think for us, having the competition that we do here is going to be something that we need to see.”
How much do you think you’ll play?
“Your guess is as good as mine.”
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000374236/article/is-alex-smith-better-than-a-midtier-quarterback
Razor,
I for one, hope Alex “get’s paid.”
I can’t think of many other QB’ that have sacrificed as much as this guy to prove his worth in the NFL.
Sure, he plays for a well-stocked and talented Chiefs team, but what he did in that 44-45 loss to the Colts convinced me that Alex can more than handle his business.
Amen brother. Alex played lights out against luck. The top young qb.
Agreed AES. Alex has done nothing but improved since 2009. He’s a quality starter and the Chiefs would be stupid not to pay him.
Mid,
Alex Smith has come a long way since his early days as a 49ers. I’m happy that he is in a very good place at this stage of is career.
Define good place? He’s starting. But there underlying opinion of him is that he is mid tier at best. That he isn’t a franchise QB. No one wants to pay the guy. That’s got to be frustrating for Smith. Forget about “our” opinion of him, the NFL has spoken.
You mean the NFL has spoken because jersey sales are down or because the boo birds? Hahahahhah!!!!!!!!
The NFL has spoken. The Niners offered Smith $8 million per and wouldn’t budge from that. The Miami Dolphins were the only team interested in meeting with Smith during that time.
Now with Kansas City, they won’t pay him what he thinks he’s worth. Read this article,
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000374236/article/is-alex-smith-better-than-a-midtier-quarterback
an NFL scout characterizes Smith as mid tier. The boos happened a long time ago, but that was a reflection of continuous poor play on the field. The jersey sales were the football public not being enamored enough with the player to wear his jersey.
Still clinging to the past. All the guy has done is been a warrior and won games for the Niners and now Chiefs and you get over yourself. Stick to baseball guy.
Your claim to fame was the 49ers organization should not resign Smith at the time because no one bought or wore his jersey and because the fans at Candlestick booed Smith. When in fact it was more the hoodlums who had no clue. Chanting for Troy Smith and David Carr. Where are they now?
Come on Prime, lets not pick on Bay, he has a hard enough time with understanding the overall game of football. Baseball guy trying to be football guy.
But there underlying opinion of him is that he is mid tier at best. That he isn’t a franchise QB. No one wants to pay the guy.
You have no idea what value the Chiefs have put on Smith, or how much they have offered him. None. You’re simply once again projecting your opinion onto others. How has that worked out for you so far? Remember when you said no one would offer more than a 4th round pick for Smith, and the Chiefs thereafter gave up 2 second round picks? How about when you said the Chiefs couldn’t win more than 6-7 games last year with Smith as their QB? How many did they proceed to win? 11? That must have been pretty embarrassing for your. And yet, it somehow didn’t wipe the smug off of your face.
You need to come to grips with the fact that you simply don’t know what you are talking about. It’s mind-boggling that you still don’t get it.
Its called small man syndrome and its embarrasing that we have to see a guy pretend he knows the inner workings of 49ers management and personnel decisions to be made.
Bay,
Alex Smith has blossomed in the KC offense under Andy Reid.
No one is describing him as a franchise QB, but he’s heads and shoulders better than he was some years back while at San Francisco.
The 8 mil the 49ers offered and the Miami interest were at a time when AS was in the process of resurrecting his career.
Alex is continuing to revive his career under Andy Reid and although he may not get Kap/Dalton type money (?), he will be paid in the 14-16 mil neighborhood which validates his worth as a Chief and the NFL.
AES,
I only brought it up because no one wants to sign him for long term money or for the money he thinks he’s worth.
The guesstimates are that Smith wants $16 million per and the Chiefs don’t think he’s worth that much.
Claude wants proof, none of of have proof Claude. We read between the lines and formulate opinions. My opinion is that two organizations in a row have a lower opinion of Smith from a contractual monetary standpoint than Smith has of himself. As for the opinion that he is a mid tier QB, that opinion is stated in the article in which the opinion of Smith is given by an NFL scout. Agree with them or not, from my standpoint the NFL doesn’t have much respect for Smith.
It’s cute to watch what’s left of the Smither bunch get their panties in a bunch and still coming to the rescue for their old flame…
Bay,
All good bud. I’m not dissin’ your take on Alex Smith. You’re entitled to your opinion just like everyone here.
I read the same article (Razor posted it) by Dan Hanzus regarding his opinion that Alex is a mid-tier QB that doesn’t deserve the monies he’s asking for.
There is a counter argument in the same article by Adam Shein who gives a strong support why Alex should be paid.
It’s all about a persons opinion when the smoke clears.
Bay, did you happen to catch the playoff game that Alex had against the Colts?
The man handled his business!
But also, at some point people will have to give AS his just due for turning a vastly talented but mediocre team into a playoff team and possibly a perennial contender especially in a division that has the Broncos and the up and coming Chargers in it.
I (my opinion only) believe that Alex gets a 15 mil a year offer for two years. This placates Alex for a couple of years and also allows the club to have a better gauge on him for future contract talks.
” We read between the lines and formulate opinions”
Stop doing it, you have no clue how to formulate anything because in reality, an opinion should have some sort of reasoning behind it. You have never been able to put the two together.
Smith is an older player trying to get market value. That’s all part of negotiating. If it was soley based on performance players would win every time. If it was based on demographics, owners would win every time.
“from my standpoint the NFL doesn’t have much respect for Smith”
Who is the NFL? The teams that Smith has played for who try to low ball all their players? Look at Kaepernicks deal, you think that’s fair what he got? The Niners control everything within that contract. You have been watching too many TV shows. Listen to the coaches. Watch the guy play and not just if he throws deep. Learn the game.
AES,
I did watch the Chief play the Colts. Smith was lights out. There is a reason why he only has 3 300 yard games in his career though. Because that type of performance is not in his DNA.
Ever see a shooter get hot in an NBA game? A shooter that has never scored more than 18 points, and all of a sudden he goes for 30+. All the fans of that particular team hope that player has turned a corner and will light it up game in and game out. And it doesn’t happen lol.
Safe, game management is Smith’s game. Lights out games for Smith are like lunar eclipses. They happen, but are rare. As for turning the Chiefs around, I am sure he made small improvements to their offense. The largest reasons for their success was a soft first half schedule, great play by their running back and lights out defense. In the 2nd half when the schedule got tough and the defense softened, he finished 2-6….
The Chief’s ownership knows this. So for this reason I believe Alex gets a 3 year 36 million deal with 18 million guaranteed.
And I’ll be in section 109 there watching my Niners hand him his arse when they play them at Levi this year…..
FDM,
when you are training your customer service reps at McDonalds to utilize the register and to take an order with a smile, are you nice to them?
Do you sit in the break room with the girls from the drive through window and try talking about football with them? Pretend you actually know about the sport?
You are a hero FDM. Don’t let anyone tell you differently bud. Not that I am counting but you now have a string of posts all of which have nothing to do with football.
Out of the 32 teams and their starting QBs Mid Tier is not the worst place to be. When you consider the top Qbs in the league you break them down in to (within the tier players are not ordered by skill level)
“Elite SB winners Veterans”
Brady
P.Manning
Brees
Rogers
“Non elite SB winners Veterans”
E.Manning
Roethlisberger
Flacco
“Non elite Veterans non winners”
Romo
Cutler
Rivers
“Young up and comers”
Kaep
RG3
Luck
Wilson
Newton
Dalton
Foles
“no mans land, no longer young, not yet a vet havn’t won anything”
Matt Ryan
Sam Bradford
Stafford
“NFL Retreads, failed elswhere placeholders for future
Shaub
Palmer
Vick
Cassel
“Young unknowns”
Tannehil
Manuel
Locker
Glennon
Any number of rookie QB’s still to make a start
Where Alex Smith fits depends as much on his level of play as does on his age. If he was 4 years younger he would get every penny of the dalton contract as he already has won more games that AD while never having played with a WR of Greens caliber. For all the categories above it boils down to 3 groups . Starters, Future starters, and Trash
Stafford and Ryan have gotten their extensions and have not done CRAP in the postseason. Ditto for cutler and Romo
“Not that I am counting but you now have a string of posts all of which have nothing to do with football”
How ironic, you have been doing the same thing on this blog for years.
Bay,
300 yrd games for QB’ are vastly overrated.
Russell Wilson only had 206 passing yrds in the SB and the c-hawks still won handily.
Not every offense is geared or needs to have their QB throw 300 yrds per game to win.
The operative word here is “win.” Alex’ winning percentage is among the best over the last 3 years and that makes him a valuable commodity.
At the moment Alex is a lock as the Chiefs starting QB, and the QB battle in KC’ TC is for a backup.
Again, he may not be franchise or elite, but he is a winning QB and that’s enough reason for him to greatly pad his bank account imo.
And therein lies the key word: winning QB. I never liked the guy but he did win a lot of games. He wasn’t about flash but he got the job done and his teammates loved him. I’m not sure what Bayareafanatics hold up is about the guy, but how could any 49 ers fan not say Alex Smith was a good QB considering all the coaching and management turmoil he faced while here
I’m listening to Geno Smith being interviewed. In fairness, he’s answering questions that are being asked, but he goes on and on and on. I recall Joe and Steve and Jeff being much more concise. Colin, of course gets criticized for being too terse and Alex, well, I seem to only remember him saying “oh yeah, no question, no question…..”
Yup, Alex also threw in many “no doubt” phrases in his interviews.
But Alex is one of the most intelligent people in sports so he gets a pass for using some relaxed lingo during interviews.
What do you think of Greg Roman’s ability to roll out to his right and find someone in the back of the end zone?
“He’s much improved. He’s getting better every week. I’m expecting big things from him next week.”
Gold.
Yeah, that was cool.
.
The kid’s getting much more comfortable with the media.
.
.
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*ALOHA*