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Originally Posted by BossChief
I'd also like to point something out that might sway my opinion on the re-signing topic.
The jump Alex made between his first and second year under JH.
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That's HUGE improvement and Andy has talked multiple times about "using all those gigabytes" and how Alex is so much better once he is in the system for a year or two.
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Remember Urban Meyer's take on him heading into the draft:
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"It's going to be interesting in San Francisco," Meyer said. "Alex is an extremely quick learner. However, he's a guy that, until he understands it, he is nonfunctional. He is a guy that -- I keep hearing how Brett Favre kind of makes something out of nothing and is a person that runs around to make a play -- Alex Smith is not that kind of player. Alex Smith is a person that, once he is taught, has to learn it all. He might struggle early, but once he gets it, he gets it."
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"I'm going to be anxious to watch his development with the 49ers. Alex is so careful with the ball. His touchdown-to-interception ratio the last 2 years was phenomenal (47 touchdowns and seven interceptions). That's because, unless he knows exactly what's going on, he won't throw it. He won't just try to guess and take a shot. He has to know.
"That's why, early in his career, and early in our career with him at Utah, he was not an effective passer, because he really didn't understand. Once he understood, there was no one better. He learns quickly, though. But he's not a guy that you throw the ball out there and tell him, 'Go play.' He wants to know what is exactly expected of him and then he becomes a dynamite player.'
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That's incredible candor from a previous head coach and I think that does a lot to support your overarching point.
There's a chance that the guy could get really expensive, really fast. And that's even if he just duplicates this season's numbers.
Honestly, if we had traded 2 seconds for Andy Dalton, I don't think people would be having this discussion; everyone would be demanding we re-sign him. Personally, I don't see any reason to suggest Dalton's a better QB than Smith.