http://www.yardbarker.com/content/player/3465 Recent articles about Alex Smith en-us After finishing the 2006 season on a hot streak, many league officials thought that the 2007 version of the San Francisco 49ers could compete for the NFC West title. Unfortunately, this was before offensive coordinator Norv Turner bolted to take the San Diego Chargers head coaching job and the 49ers were stuck with unproven Jim Hostler calling the plays on offense. The offense was supposed to flourish under the breakout season of running back Frank Gore and third year quarterback Alex Smith showed signs of promise towards the end of the '06 campaign. Instantly, the 49ers got off to a hot start, winning their first two games, but after the quick start it all went downhill. The 49ers proceeded to drop eight straight games en route to finishing the season with a 5-11 record and another disappointing season for the once proud franchise. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:38:11 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286943 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286943 Frank Gore will be the focal point in a revamped 49ers offense. This may be the breakout season many have expected from him, with Mike Martz now making the calls for this potential high-flying squad. See which other 49ers will have fantasy value in this offensive depth chart. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:12:47 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286234 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/286234 Year after year there are surprises and disappointments in the NFL even though before the season starts many seem convinced that they can predict the top five or ten players at each position. Since 1999, it has never happened that the top three fantasy quarterbacks all remained in the top five the following season. Find out which of Brady, Manning and Romo we believe may not finish amongst the top five this upcoming season. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 08:44:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285972 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285972 Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, Brian Dawkins, and Lito Sheppard. Pretty star-studded group wouldn't you agree? With the new addition of Samuel, the All-Pro cornerback, and Hall of Fame bound Brian Dawkins this group is stacked. The potential for this secondary is unlike any Eagles secondary that I can ever remember. But after naming all these players there is one more. The starting strong safety Quintin Mikell is left out of the picture. He is not a star, a pro-bowler, or a future Hall of Fame inductee. Quintin Mikell burst on the scene last year when the Eagles finally decided to pull the plug on the Sean Considine experiment. One that didn't last a long time. Mikell started to make plays immediatley. You all remember the play where Mikell sprawled out in the air and leaped on Jon Kitna in week three against Detroit. If you ask me, it was a spitting image of Brian Dawkins. Mikell has an absolute perfect opportunity in front of him. With this superstar secondary he has his work cut out for him and he will have to show the coaching staff that he has a "twinkle" about him too. But I am sure Mikell doesn't just want to twinkle, he wants to shine. With quarterbacks focused on keeping the ball away from playmakers like Brian Dawkins and Asante Samuel or ballhawks like Lito Sheppard, Mikell will be able to creep up and make huge plays. He will be tested a lot this year. Can he live up to the challenge? The starting strong safety position is his to lose this offseason. The real question is can Quintin Mikell not only keep his starting spot on the defense but can he shine among the brighter stars in the secondary? Well, you know I think he can, but that is a question that will be answered come September. Sat, 05 Jul 2008 00:54:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285913 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285913 With football minicamps all ready here, Fantasy Football is on my mind. I've already started to break down each position, and over the next several weeks I'll share my rankings with all you. We'll start with the quarterback position, probably one of the weakest skilled positions this year. Wed, 02 Jul 2008 13:40:54 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285137 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/285137 Whatifsports looks at the NFC West, where the Seahawks will rely on their defense to win the division, but the fast-improving 49ers are right on their heels. The Cardinals, as always, have a lot of potential and need to stay healthy. The Rams will get a big year from rookie Chris Long, but have to deal with a tough schedule. Click below to read more, including team analysis, projected scores for each game, and fantasy numbers. Thu, 19 Jun 2008 12:25:46 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279927 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279927 The big question is who will be the starting QB in 49ers camp? Wed, 18 Jun 2008 06:44:48 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279304 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/279304 Lovie Smith, Head Coach of the Chicago Bears, has made it official; he's going to let Rex Grossman and Kyle Orton duke it out for the starting job. Not exactly exciting stuff in what looks like two mules fighting over a turnip, that's right no one cares. www.rawsportsblog.com Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:53:56 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/275297 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/275297 The Tampa Bay Buccaneers made a few minor roster moves today, neither of which should come as any huge surprise. The team re-signed tight end Jerramy Stevens and decided to let Bruce Gradkowski try and find a quarterback job elsewhere. Each move represents something completely different thou, at the QB position the team is very over loaded and it was known they needed to clean out some guys. While, at the tight end position, some may of thought the team was set with the current group but this signing of Stevens may cast some doubt on the cast. Let's take a look at both. Fri, 30 May 2008 19:16:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/272596 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/272596 The Chicago Bears are known for their defense. The Denver Broncos are a running team. The Indianapolis Colts are a receiving team. And the San Francisco 49ers are known for their quarterbacks. But how can the team live up to the status of great quarterbacks with their current load of quarterbacks? Who can follow the steps of Joe Montana, Steve Young and Jeff Garcia? Let's look at Alex Smith, Shaun Hill and J.T. O'Sullivan and see who will be the new boss behind center. Thu, 15 May 2008 01:13:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267152 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/267152 Over the past twenty years, the NFL has seen more than a few number one overall picks go "bust." But there have also been some great players who lived up to the hype of being drafted first. Check out the full list with comments on each player. Sun, 13 Apr 2008 15:27:00 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/236394 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/236394 So Alex Smith may not be all that good on the football field, but it looks like he's been working on his off-field game a good amount. Check out TheDirty.com to view pics of the Niners' QB partying in Mexico; he and Matt Leinart might not be the biggest fans of the trashy site after this week is over. The site has broken the most interesting stories of the NFL off-season thus far, what's next? Mon, 07 Apr 2008 16:40:06 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/231488 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/231488 If you were a #4 pick and you now work at Applebees, you might be a draft bust. Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:05:55 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/229000 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/229000 CULVER CITY, Calif. -- As the first overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft, Alex Smith was expected to restore the great quarterback tradition of the San Francisco 49ers that included such luminaries as Joe Montana and Steve Young. That possibility now seems on shaky ground. San Francisco coach Mike Nolan made it clear on Wednesday that there will be an open competition for the team's starting quarterback position in training camp and the preseason between Smith and Shaun Hill, who was given a three-year contract in early February after leading the 49ers to consecutive late-season victories in 2007 over Cincinnati and Tampa Bay. "It will be an open competition," Nolan said before an appearance on NFL Network. "It's no one's job to lose. It's both guys' job to take." Jed Jacobsohn / Getty Images Shaun Hill's 2-0 mark as a starter earned him a three-year deal with the 49ers. » Highlights: Hill's starting debut Nolan added that on-field production will be the determining factor as to who wins the job and that Smith's status as a former No. 1 pick will play no role in the final decision. "I have no favorites, I have no favorites at all," Nolan said. "You want to get the best one out there, because the players are looking. You're a football team, it's about winning. And your football team performs better when they know that jobs are won or lost on the field. That's where this will happen." Smith's standing with the 49ers has changed dramatically in just one year. Last offseason he was seen as a quarterback on the rise, and there were no questions about his place as a starter after throwing for nearly 3,000 yards in 2006, while leading San Francisco to a three-win improvement over his rookie season. Now he has no more claim to the position than Hill. That pronounced change of fortune symbolizes Smith's roller-coaster three-year tenure with the club. His arrival coincided with that of Nolan, and together they were charged with delivering the franchise from a bleak two-year period in which the team went 9-23 under the guidance of Dennis Erickson. The first year for the duo was full of struggles as Smith lost five of his seven starts and completed only 48.7 percent of his passes with two touchdowns and four interceptions, as the team finished 4-12. He made typical rookie mistakes while showing few significant signs of progress. The 49ers brought in Norv Turner to coordinate the offense in 2006 and a turnaround began. Smith started all 16 games and completed 58.1 percent of his passes with 16 touchdowns as the team improved to 7-9. It looked as though the 49ers were well on their way towards re-establishing themselves as a contender in the NFC West. That's when Smith and the 49ers suffered a major blow. Turner left to take the head coaching job with the San Diego Chargers and the team struggled to find a replacement. They eventually settled on quarterbacks coach Jim Hostler, but he was unable to handle the position. 49ers offense in 2007 Stat Total NFL rank PPG 13.7 Last Total YPG 237.3 Last Pass YPG 145.0 Last Rush YPG 92.3 27th What ensued was a disappointing 5-11 season and an offense that scored only 219 points, tied for the fewest in franchise history in a 16-game season. The 49ers were last in nearly every key offensive statistical category and Smith suffered a shoulder injury that eventually caused him to be placed on injured reserve. He made just seven starts and lost his last five after winning his first two. He threw only two touchdown passes, completed only 48.7 percent of his passes and averaged only 152 yards passing in six starts he played the entire game. Meanwhile, the relationship between Smith and Nolan appeared to be deteriorating, and Smith even called his coach out publicly after Nolan questioned the severity of his quarterback's shoulder ailment, an injury that eventually required surgery last December. "He came out and said some things to the team," Smith told the San Jose Mercury News last season. "I felt it was trying to undermine me with my teammates." On Wednesday, Nolan said there are no more excuses for Smith with Mike Martz in place as offensive coordinator. He added that Martz, who was hired to replace Hostler, was the best gift he could have given his embattled quarterback. "I'll do everything I can to make sure that he's got the best opportunity to be a good player," Nolan said of Smith, whose contract was extended through 2010 after the 49ers excercised a "buyback" clause in February. "There's not much more I can do for him right now than giving him Mike Martz as the offensive coordinator. That's a pretty damned good gift. That's like giving your kid a Maserati. 'Here ya go, buddy. You know you wanted a nice car, I just gave you one.' "We'll see if he can drive it Thu, 20 Mar 2008 10:24:05 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/212075 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/212075 So the San Francisco 49ers today gave an extension to QB Alex Smith, essentially making him the de facto starter with the franchise through 2010. According to GM Scot McCloughan today: "It wasn't a tremendous amount of money, but it was enough that it shows we have faith in him," McCloughan said. "From a business standpoint, if we didn't think he was worth it, we wouldn't have done it." Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:20:09 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/174177 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/174177