As the rise of Colin Kaepernick's star continues to rise, it appears that the San Francisco 49ers' past quarterback mainstay is on his way out.
Reports were surfacing Monday that former starting quarterback Alex Smith is expected to seek his release from his contract after the season as he sets to test out the free agent market.
As football fans know, Smith--who was the QB when the 49ers went into overtime in the NFC Championship against the Giants last season which they lost 20-17--was sidelined with a concussion in Week 11, prompting 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh to start Kaepernick, and the rest has been history.
Smith was having a career season, posting a 104.1 passer rating with 13 touchdowns and 1,737 yards while leading the Niners to a 6-2 record before he was sidelined.
But with the surging Kaepernick having firmly taken hold of the starting quarterback job--and becoming a marketing sensation, with his flexing "Kaepernicking" pose having become an overnight success--Smith, who is due $8.5 million next season, has been rumored to be on the trading block for the 49ers.
And while he is walking away from a guaranteed multi-million deal by chasing free agency, Smith makes a tempting free agency target for any number of teams that are in desperate need of a good, solid quarterback.
But whether Kaepernick is traded or he leaves to test out the market, the emergence of Kaepernick during the playoffs has all but guaranteed the young 25-year-old quarterback--who had to fight just to get the backup quarterback position on the team when the season starter--his place as the new starting QB, and perhaps the new face, of San Francisco football.