Purguy, I really don't get why you keep referring to Alex Smith as a backup QB. Matt Flynn is a backup QB. Smith has been a starter for 8 years. When Harbaugh said he had two starting QBs he meant it. Alex Smith is better than more than half the starting QBs in the league. He lost his job to a QB who is the prototype of the new QB and could quite possibly be "the guy" in a couple years. That's not a knock on Alex Smith and what he has accomplished with this team.
It is not a steal to get good compensation for Alex Smith. Is it slightly more than I thought? Yes. I figured at best we could get one second round pick and at worst we would get a 3rd rounder. It was a great move by Baalke, but this is still a good move by the Chiefs. Andy Reid is still a good evaluator of QB talent and he sees a guy he can rebuild his team with in Smith. Smith knows how to run a WCO and he is deadly accurate. He will thrive in Reid's offense so long as they retain Bowe and improve the O-line.
The QBs in this draft are a joke. In any other draft Geno Smith would be a second rounder at best. Now they are talking about him being a top 10 pick b/c of the lack of great QBs.
When you take all of that into account it's a win-win for both teams. The only way we'll know if the 49ers "stole" from the Chiefs is if Alex Smith is bad in KC. If he takes them to the playoffs within the next 2 years then I'd say they stole from us.
He will thrive in Reid's offense so long as they retain Bowe and improve the O-line
Warrior...a couple of minor details there, huh? Just maintain the Pro Bowl wide receiver and get a couple of lineman so that Alex can stay upright and everything will be peachey. There is a reason that the Chiefs are selecting first in the draft. Despite the fact that they have Pro Bowl caliber players at SOME positions, there are holes in many others.
Smith will play fairly well. The Chiefs are in the AFC Worst and get to play some crappy teams, PLUS they will be playing a fourth place schedule. They also get to play the teams from the second worst division in football, the AFC South. All-in-all, things look pretty rosey for the Chiefs, and Smith could have a solid year.
It will be the following year that will be the test, especially if the the Chiefs are successful this year. Just like the Colts last year, who may take a bit of a dive due to a tougher schedule this year, the Chiefs are in the same boat.
No matter what Alex Smith does, the Niners stole TWO big picks for a guy who was a BACK-UP for the last part of last season, and has no future with the Niners. The Niner brass had to be dancing in the street. Remember, in the same situation, the Packers got NOTHING when Matt Flynn left.
Matt Flynn was NOT the same situtation; not even remotely close. He was a true "back-up" and basically only played a handful of snaps as a result. Smith has started for his entire 8 yr career and has a VERY large body of work. He also LED his team to a 13-3 record and an NFCC game. On top of that, he was posting elite numbers starting last year (70% completion....that's insane).
In ANY other football town, Smith's job wouldn't have been questioned in the least, but SF has a history of elite QBs and winning SBs.
AGAIN, he's 28, he's led his team to a title game (and likely would have again this year...maybe even a SB) and his stats, after some decent coaches, have been bordering on elite. His only real downside is that he's not a big-play guy and he won't be dragging teams through games like the Bradys, Mannings, Rodgers, etc. of the world. But, THEY would EASILY be worth multiple HIGH first round picks if traded (if anyone would ever trade one). In essence, you're saying that tier 1 = multiple, high 1st round picks (probably more, including players and such), but tier 2 QBs are steals at a 2nd and 3rd round pick? Ridiculous logic....
Yeah...calling Smith a backup is a little misleading because we all at least agree that he is good enough to start for several teams in the league, including the Chiefs. I think what purguy is saying is that he was OUR backup. He's a guy on our roster that, if everything goes well, would never see the field outside of garbage time. Getting a 2nd round pick plus another 3rd/2nd round pick (btw, this is still just reported and hasn't actually gone down yet) makes this almost certainly a great deal for us. The only way this turns out to be a bad deal for us is if Alex Smith turns out to be better than Colin Kaepernick at the end of the day.
HOWEVER, you guys are correct to point out that the fact that this is a good deal for us does not make it a bad deal for the Chiefs. Just like warrior, this is more than I thought we would get. This league is usually so in love with "upside", which is something that I think Smith has already maximized with the Niners (perhaps the most QB friendly situation in the entire league). However, Andy Reid and the Chiefs likely understand Smith's strengths and limitations. If they can compliment him with a running game and make him primarily a short to intermediate passer (WCO) he can definitely be successful. That will make this a good deal for the Chiefs as well.
It's just simply more of a gamble for the Chiefs...but when you are 2-14, you've got to take risks.
The only way this becomes a steal is if Alex Smith does terrible and the 49ers turn one of those 2 picks into atleast 1 elite player. If Alex Smith plays really well, gets them to the playoffs and that 49ers draft people who become busts then the Chiefs got the steal. It is impossibly to say who got the better end of the deal yet.
Truth is he was the 49ers back up. So for us he was a back up and for KC he is a starter. Its common sense. Who started the Superbowl....... Yeah a guy named Kap. That means Smith was the back up.
Gore yes he is our Back up QB. 2 get 2 2nd rd picks is great because we have a chance to add 2 more plyers to this team that may help us win a Superbowl. Smith cant help us in this area anymore.
I do agree that this is good for KC but for a team that has alot of holes to trade 2 top picks for a QB that is ok to middle of the pact QB is rough. Also with in the next 2-3 years they still have to draft a QB.
Trent Dilfer was "ok"; a 70% completion rate, a 2:1 TD:int ration, a huge winning %, etc. are not "ok". And, no, he should NOT be considered a "back up" QB...you're about the only person on the planet that views him as such and you're allowing some stupid technicallity to drive your innane point.
Flacco just became the highest paid player in NFL history....do you really think Flacco is that much better than Smith? At best, they're about equal, just with different skill-sets, but I think I'd take Smith over Flacco and I certainly wasn't a Smith fan.
Flacco is better then Smith but not by a whole lot. I guess you dont know what a back up QB is. If you are #2 on the depth chart you are a back up. For the 49ers Smith became a back up QB. Yes he can be a starter and will be for KC but having 2 2nd rd picks has more vale for the 49ers then a back up QB. Now for KC I still think 2 2nd rd picks has more value then a starting QB for them that doesnt have any more upside. He will help but KC still has to draft a QB in a year or 2 anyways. So overall they will have to waste 3 picks to have Smith.
Purguy, I think you've lost it. You're not going to back up your argument on a technicality. Jim Harbaugh himself, the QB guru and quite possibly the best developer of QBs in the league, refers to Alex Smith as a starter. He said we had two starters and he was being literal. Alex Smith is good enough to start for at least 20 teams in the league. He's been a starter for 8 years. He is OUR backup as of halfway through last season, but that doesn't make him a backup QB. Did you view Steve Young as a backup QB when we had him and Montana? That's beyond stupid if you answer yes. No one here is buying your argument.
Only time will tell if the Chiefs overpaid for Smith. No one knows that answer until he plays for the Chiefs. But just so we're clear, not even Tom Brady could make the Chiefs contenders right now.
Well he hasnt started in a long time. U guys are crazy. Depth chart says #2, that means back up. I agree he plays for most teams but for us he was a back. If he was 1B he would of got some snaps during the game. When u have 2 starting QBs you play both. Smith did not play. Kap took all snaps. Hence Smith is the back up QB for the 49ers. Its not that hard to understand.
U dont have to buy anything, its just common sense. IF you dont think #2 means back up but means starter I feel bad for you. Your the one that looks stupid(not saying you are, just saying if you think that.) Im not calling you names im just saying that if u dont understand what #2 means.
Young was the back up to Joe Montana until he became the starter.
Okay, but Flacco would be #2 on the depth chart on OUR team, so that makes him a back-up, right? Heck, he'd be #2 on about 10 teams...clearly, back-up QBs should get the biggest contracts in NFL history. Your logic is brilliant!
I'm still trying to figure out how ya'll know if this is a good trade or not?? I mean, dont get me wrong, I'm very happy that we were able to get a very early 2nd round draft pick and possibly another 2nd round pick. It gives us the POSSIBILITY of getting some really good players.
With that said, how many tackles do these two draft picks have?? How many TDs do these draft picks have?? How many INTs do these draft picks have??
I always find it funny when people try and figure out who got the better end of the deal, especially when draft picks are involved. Come back in 3 - 4 years, and you should be able to get your answer on who got the better deal.
Yes the hard part is picking the right players with these picks now. I guess you can say the outcome of the trade isnt done yet because you dont know who we will draft with these picks or who we will trade to get with these picks but just off the face of the trade the 49ers got alot for Smith. 2 years ago people wanted him cut, and now we are getting 2 high picks for him. Great job by the front office.
Skeeter, draft picks are a form of NFL currency. They have value regardless of how they are ultimately "spent". How we use those draft picks is a completely separate endeavor. Check it out:
Say you have a first generation Ipad. Unfortunately, it took you FOREVER to figure out how to use, but once you did, you liked it and found it to be an effecient way to do things. Then for Christmas you get the NEW Ipad 4. It is better than your original Ipad in every respect (it is faster on Wifi and 3G and it doesn't have small hands). Well, now the only time you will use your first Ipad is if something happens to the first one so it's your "backup" Ipad, so to speak. Well, I don't have an Ipad, so your original Ipad is worth more to me than it is to you. I offer you 50% of what you originally paid for the original Ipad, which is a phenomenol deal for a used piece of electronics. You wouldn't judge the value of that deal based on how you eventually spend the money. You might do something really stupid with that money or something really smart. But that doesn't change the fact that you got a good deal from me for a limited piece of technology that was several years old.
Gore and I are on the same page here. Its now up to the 49ers front office to turn those picks into something. This is the hard part but as of late the front office has done a great job with drafting players so I have faith in them.
