With Alex Smith playing like a 1st-round draft pick, is a QB pick still possible

I say QB is off the table. With what Alex is showing right now, he will be, at a MINIMUM, a "quality, career" starter. By "Quality, Career" starter, I think of somebody like Phil Simms:

A career QB rating of about 80, a 4:3 TD-INT ratio, 7 yards per attempt; played with stellar defenses and a solid running game.

As long as its a late pick I have no problem with it.

If Smith continues to develop then the QB question is solved until Davis gets more time and training. Then the next competition can begin. So a question is will be if the staff settles on A. Smith, then the next question will be whether Davis can be our #2 backup, and then we will decide whether to keep S. Hill or draft another QB as our #3.

Originally posted by Ninefan56:
If Smith continues to develop then the QB question is solved until Davis gets more time and training. Then the next competition can begin. So a question is will be if the staff settles on A. Smith, then the next question will be whether Davis can be our #2 backup, and then we will decide whether to keep S. Hill or draft another QB as our #3.

I believe that Smith will named the perma-starter after the season and get 100% of the snaps. We will continue to develop Davis, but I think Hill is going to get cut and we will sign a quality backup...maybe Chad Pennington, maybe Jason Campbell -- or even Kyle Boller, Joey Harrington, etc..

With the new offense, Hill cannot step in and run it.

Last week was the 1st game were Alex looked like a legitimate NFL quarterback.

That's 1 out of 34 games. Phil Simms? He still isn't on Tim Couch's level.

I'm not trying to be a Smith hater here all I'm saying is let him finish the season before we cut ties with him or annoint him next year's starter. I still have to see alot more before I give him a 6th year.

I think alot of this comes down to our scheme.. Are we going to stick with the spread offense as our base offense or will the coaches go out and get players to fit their run first mentality? I personally don't mind the spread attack.. Look at what Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady. I bet they take 75% of their snaps out of the shotgun and they're pretty succesful....

After rd 3 at the earliest.

I think you should take a flyer on a mid-late QB nearly every year, and always be developing a project.

That being said, Hill is a fine backup QB at a reasonable price. I'd try to trade him before I cut him. Get a late round pick with which you can select a project at qb:)

Originally posted by jays9ers:
I think alot of this comes down to our scheme.. Are we going to stick with the spread offense as our base offense or will the coaches go out and get players to fit their run first mentality? I personally don't mind the spread attack.. Look at what Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady. I bet they take 75% of their snaps out of the shotgun and they're pretty succesful....

I think your thought is really important. If our team functions better in the spread then we need to draft with that in mind. So our oline blocking schemes will need to be taken into account as well as how will we use Frank Gore? So lots of stuff to ponder and decide upon. Hill does not play to the spread well do to his arm. He gets the pass out quick, so if we go WCO/Spread hybrid he might still be of value to us. So maybe Carter from Texas Tech might be a good spread OG, and not so good of a primary ball control offense.

Teams won with mediocre QBs like Jim Plunkett, Brad Johnson, Trent Dilfer, Phil Simms, Mark Rypien, Doug Williams, etc. By what Smith has shown, I think he could be better than the ones mentioned above.

Alex Smith is serviceable. We need to address the other positions like pass rushing OLB, LG, RT, SS, FS.

Originally posted by DarthNiner:
Teams won with mediocre QBs like Jim Plunkett, Brad Johnson, Trent Dilfer, Phil Simms, Mark Rypien, Doug Williams, etc. By what Smith has shown, I think he could be better than the ones mentioned above.

Alex Smith is serviceable. We need to address the other positions like pass rushing OLB, LG, RT, SS, FS.

You idiot! You left out CB! Duh!

The team still has a lot of needs: RT, LG (probably), possibly NT (if Franklin leaves), SS or FS (based on how the team feels about M. Lewis' health and Goldson's play), OLB, PR/KR, and maybe even CB. The team also needs to look at a long-term replacement for Nedney in the next couple of years.

So, in a draft where very few QB's stand out, I just don't see any need to burn a draftee.

The only ways I see the 49ers drafting a QB is if they trade away Shaun Hill or Alex Smith plays awful for the final 5 games.

Last year I REALLY wanted the Niners to draft a QB as I knew Hill was garbage and didnt think Alex Smith would ever come back. Now, I have changed my mind. I do think Smith can be effective if the Niners can simply protect him.

WAY too many holes right now to waste draft picks on a QB. As many have said... OL, OLB, CB, and S need to be addressed. If we can get those filled in the next draft and free agency then the Niners can really get to the next level.

Now.. is Smith lays an egg in the next 5 weeks and shows he simply cant be the QB of the future this could change. Lets hope that doesnt happen.

It seems we are an offense still in search of an identity and it will take the rest of the season to sort out. It looks like Alex functions very well in a spread offense. If Singraye keeps flexible and mixing things up we'll have a better idea. My feeling is NO we don't pick a QB. We still have Nate and whatever direction we go - we need major improvement on our OLine. Star w/ the Oline coach and then ROT, LOG.