49ers-Alex Smith Divorce: Where do they go now?

Don’t worry 49er fans.  The six-year disaster is over and you will never have to see #11, Alex Smith, wear the red and gold again.  When Smith was asked if he could see a possible return back to the 49ers he seemed to suggest that was not going to happen.

“Are you being serious?” Smith said. “Uh…no.”

After six years the front office has finally figured out that he is not the quarterback they thought he was when he was drafted as the first pick overall in the 2005 draft. 

Even Al Davis was able to figure out that their #1 pick was a bust after two years.

Smith will likely get many offers in the off-season to come in as a backup quarterback.  If he was smart then he would go to a team with stability at head coach and a quarterback guru who could possibly help him reach his potential.  The teams that need a quarterback very badly, like San Francisco, are the teams he should stay away from.  If I was Alex, then I would have my agent call Norv Turner in San Diego and see if they are interested in him as a backup to Phillip Rivers.  This way Smith could get back to the coach that he had the most success under and he could come back home. 

For the 49ers, it will not be as easy.  Both of the Smith quarterbacks are free agents and probably will not be back next year, no matter who the GM is.  Troy Smith is not a NFL starting quarterback and may never have a chance to audition for that kind of job like he did this year.  He will likely get an opportunity to be a backup and could be a good addition to a team that wants to run the wildcat occasionally. 

David Carr is the only quarterback that is currently under contract for next year but that doesn’t mean he is the starter.  Carr is not starting material and is not even backup material.  There is no team that wants him on the field—even in emergency situations.  His only value as a backup is that he is a good locker room guy that won’t cause any problems.  The 49ers should release him.

The 49ers will need to address the quarterback position in the draft and in free agency.  If they can get a veteran quarterback in the meantime while they develop the rookie, that would be the best case scenario.  If they just insert the rookie quarterback into the starting lineup right away then we are looking at another Alex Smith situation.

Unless that quarterback’s name is Andrew Luck….

49ers-Panthers: Alex Smith Injures Shoulder

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith left the field in the first offensive series in the second half.  The injury came on a sack by Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Charles Johnson.  Johnson beat rookie offensive lineman Anthony Davis and got a free hit on Smith who never saw Johnson coming. 

Smith walked off the field with the 49ers trainers to go get x-rays which showed nothing serious but he did not return to the field.  Preliminary reports is that it is a sprained left shoulder.  David Carr came in for Alex Smith and remained in for the rest of the game.  He threw for 67 yards and one interception during that time.

No word yet on how long Smith will be out or if he will be able to play next week.  Right now the 49ers are on their way to London for next week's game against the Denver Broncos.  Smith did say that he will have an MRI in London this week.

Was releasing Nate Davis the right move?

Mike Singletary made it be known, a few times, that he was not impressed with Nate Davis' work ethic and even questioned whether he would make the team.

"That's a question mark.  It will be a topic of conversation..."

The question was whether the public comments were a motivational tool or Singletary had truly gone sour on Davis. Singletary has been known to use press conferences as motivation for players (see Davis, Vernon).

In related news, the 49ers released Davis and signed former Ohio State QB, Troy Smith.

Singletary has been less than thrilled with his backup QBs and when asked about his comfort level he said:

"When you say comfortable, I'll put it this way," he said. "I feel good about Alex Smith. I feel very good about where he's at. I think we have to do a great job of protecting our starting quarterback. When it comes to David Carr, I think David Carr is a guy that I could grow to feel comfortable with. I think he's a guy that has a good command of the offense. I think he understands, I just think that he's still thinking a lot and he's still having to get the rhythm and all the other things, but I think David Carr, I could grow to feel comfortable with him."

That's not exactly praising words for Nate Davis or David Carr.  After those comments it was no doubt that Singletary sent Trent Baalke shopping for a new QB.

The question was would it be Carr or Davis that would be cut.  Personally, I would have thought they would cut Carr.  He has a higher salary and you already know what you have with him.

That move speaks more to Singletary's lack of confidence in current starter, Alex Smith, then his frustration and lack of confidence in his backups.

The whole "why did we cut Nate Davis" sentiment could be all for not.  It's possible he is nothing more than a gunslinger who will never make it in the NFL but why stop the "Nate Davis project" early.  When he was drafted the 49ers brass stated he was a three-year project but then he was cut after the first year and a half.