Running NFL Preseason Thread

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

Alex Smith is a guy who needs a bigger change of scenery even than Palmer.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

Don't forget accuracy, poise and good decision making . . .he needs those too.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

So you're saying the Niners should trade Smith for Palmer?

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

They aren't losing TV money on games not being broadcast in March & April. They don't have to start bargaining any time soon.

There will still be a lockout IMO. I seem to recall the NFL's negotiator saying during Super Bowl week that this didn't need to be settled until July 1 in order for the season to start on time.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

I agree with AQB that there's an element of shadow play here. The threat of a work stoppage during a period prior to work startage is no skin off the customers' noses -- or anybody else's.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

1. No team may make a trade for a player until the new CBA is signed.
2. No team may sign a free agent until the new CBA is signed.

I think those mean a great deal to fans and customers. Every front office is in stasis.

All the more why Palmer's I-want-a-new-oatmeal-cookie-AND-I-WANT-IT-NOW bullshit is ridiculous.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

As a 49er fan I am OK going with Alex Smith another year. Not a fan but not convinced he is completely done either. Considering the CBA issues I think he is the best option. He hasn't been horrible the last two years, hasn't been good either. The thing I take into account is his head coaches. He had Mike Nolan and Mike Singletary. They are two guys that had no idea what to do on offense, especially in the passing game. They also publicly berated Smith at times and from what I have gathered that is not a tactic that works with him. Smith's big issue is confidence. He's always down in the gutter which makes him hesitate and effects his ability to lead. He will never be a great rah-rah leader but he has shown to have the talent to be a good quarterback. With finally having a QB head coach and the CBA issues Smith is worth the gamble.

In the last two years Smith has completed greater than 60% of his passes and compiled a 32-22 TD-INT ratio. Hardly good numbers but numbers that show improvement despite a head coach who continually ran a putrid offensive strategy.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

As a lifelong guy, I'm conflicted here. On one hand I see 6 years of fail. On the other hand, Smith is a good athlete, has experience, is still relatively young, very bright, and except for one year of Norv Turner, had awful, dreadful coaching.

I'm not judging Smith against Montana/Young, those were two greats and I was fortunate to root for them. But I have watched Garcia and others in the league, that word you used "hesitancy" is exactly what Smith exhibits. Perhaps he's too smart for his own good, but he needs to show more of a "gunslinger" mentality. Chuck it downfield and see what happens.

That 32-22 ratio is decent but Smith has shown too much of the 2 yd check down on 3rd and 10. Perhaps that was more coaching than decision making, I'm hoping that it was. But he's had 6 years. I saw Plunkett get resurrected, perhaps I'll see that again with Smith and Harbaugh.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

Smith has gotten more chances than Leinart or Vince Young. Just because you have a squeaky clean persona shouldn't mean you get to screw up a few different opportunities, and keep getting more. David Klingler went into the seminary and is now a professor of Old Testament studies. He also got three or four years to prove he sucked as an NFL starting quarterback.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

Smith looks good at times, but it almost always comes in the third or fourth quarter when the game has already been decided.

I would like the Niners to expose Smith to Harbaugh for a year before they get rid of him. Maybe Harbaugh can make chicken salad from chicken shit.

Smith was coached by Mike McCarthy. Mike Martz and Norv Turner, so it's not like he had village idiots as OCs for his entire time in SF, but that was the case the last two seasons.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

Young isn't fair - he was dumped primarily for non-performance reasons. And neither is Leinart who was demoted because Warner was there. As to what happened before last year, that has to be off the field too, no? What I will admit is that I can't off the top of my head think of any examples of high pick QBs who played right away for this long so unimpressively who then, under the right coach figured it out. I'm not talking about a Peyton Manning or Aikman who got beat up on bad teams before they were ready to play. Maybe Eli Manning is an optimistic comp.

 

Re: Running NFL Offseason Thread

Vinny Testaverde.