Smith done with the Niners

[8ballrollin]

Or visa verse, depending on how you look at it.

Here is a nice write-up on Smith, as a person, from Matt Maiocco. Matt is the best beat writer covering the 49ers and has one the top NFL blogs out there...

It's time to break out of reporter mode now . . . Smith is truly one of the most grounded, decent young people I've come across in the 49ers' locker room. He has always been a stand-up guy - in good times and bad. It's really too bad for him, the 49ers and the team's fans that everything since the final game of the 2006 season has turned out so poorly.

After all, let's think back to the end of the 2006 season. He was 22 years old, coming off a decent second year in the league - his first season in Norv Turner's offense. It did not take much projecting to think he would make another improvement in 2007 to raise his level to among the top half of QBs in the NFL.

But Turner left for one of the great situations to come around in a long, long time when he took over as head coach of the Chargers.

With newbie Jim Hostler as coordinator, Smith played the first three games in 2007, and then it all ended.

After all, it's kind of difficult to be an effective NFL quarterback when you're physically unable to throw the football.

http://49ers.pressdemocrat.com/defau...=2260720&mode=

If he can get healthy enough to play next season, I’m sure AS and his agent are going to try and get him hooked back up with Turner – in a backup role. Turner still speaks highly of him.

[TheSizzle36]

I'm disappointed Smith never materialized in the NFL. As a 49ers fan I wasn't sold on Smith to begin with, but I liked him more than Rogers (who now isn't looking too terrible). Granted, with the situation Smith was in, I'm not sure anybody would have fared much better.

Everything I've heard (and from people I work with who have known him) he sounds like a stand-up guy and a hard worker. I wish him well, but I'll be thrilled to get his awful contract of the 9ers books.