Sep 3rd 2008 7:04PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Filed under: 49ers, NFC West
Two weeks ago, Mike Nolan named J.T. O’Sullivan the 49ers starting quarterback, which meant that Alex Smith, the first-overall pick of the 2005 draft, would start the season on the bench.
Apparently, Smith, who seems like a swell guy, isn’t very good at this quarterbacking thing, and consequently, he’s been relegated to wearing a baseball hat, holding a clipboard, and feigning interest in the on-field goings-on once the season starts.
Come 2009, though, Smith will either be the starter or elsewhere due to his exorbitant contract. History suggests it’ll be the latter. Backup quarterback Alex Smith can’t be the backup all season if he has any chance of returning to the 49ers next season, 49ers GM Scot McCloughan said today.
When asked if the 49ers might bring back Smith next season if he weren’t the starter, [GM Scot] McCloughan answered, “You can’t. The amount of money we’re going to invest in him, he’d have to be proven that he’s the guy. When we get to the offseason, he’d have to be the guy for next year.” Yeah, that’s going to be a problem. Smith has all sorts of issues and it’ll take an injury for him to see the field. And while that’s possible — this is tackle football, after all — once he’s under center he’ll actually have to impress the front-office types enough to make them keep him around. So far, so bad on that front.Continue Reading
