After missing the 2008 season with a shoulder injury, it was possible that Alex Smith's tenure as a San Francisco 49er was over. Despite the injury, and the fact his play, when healthy, has been rather disappointing for a No. 1 overall pick, the 49ers seemed interested in keeping the 24-year-old quarterback around under one condition: him being willing to take a pay cut.On Monday, the 49ers and Smith agreed to re-work his contract, agreeing to a two-year, $6.5 million deal. According to Matt Maiocco of the Press Democrat, the reduced salary is expected to save the 49ers as much as $6 million against the league's salary cap.
Coming out of training camp Smith lost the starting quarterback job to journeyman J.T. O'Sullivan, and was expected to serve as his backup until he injured his shoulder, resulting in season-ending surgery. After O'Sullivan performed like a guy that had played for eight teams in six years, Shaun Hill took over as the team's starter and helped lead the 49ers to a 5-3 finish under head coach Mike Singletary.
Hill and Smith are expected to compete for the starting job in 2009, while Hill probably holds a slight edge based on what the two have done in their NFL careers.
In 32 career games, Smith has completed only 54 percent of his passes while throwing 31 interceptions to just 19 touchdowns. Though, in his defense, he was thrown to the wolves as a rookie, sort of a sacrificial lamb, for a team that had little talent in terms of play makers or protection along the offensive line.
That said, Hill has played solid football as a part-time starter the past two seasons, completing over 68 percent of his passes and posting a 90.5 passer rating in 11 career starts. The 49ers are 8-3 with Hill under center the past two seasons, while they're a dismal 5-16 with Smith and O'Sullivan receiving the starts. How he'll perform as a full-time starter remains to be seen, obviously, but it appears as if the 49ers are going to make a run with Smith and Hill in 2009.
The team brought Kurt Warner in for a visit before he re-signed with Arizona, and it's unlikely the 49ers will use their No. 10 overall pick on a quarterback (USC's Mark Sanchez would likely be available) after taking a swing-and-a-miss with Smith in 2005.
Smith's new contract is comparable to the deals recently signed by Luke McCown in Tampa Bay, and Sage Rosenfels in Minnesota.
