49ers News: Alex Smith Rumors Say QB To Be Dealt?

Before Tom Brady stole the QB news Monday with news of his re-signing with the Patriots for a discounted price, Alex Smith held top billing in a report that may have been a bit premature.

Reports that Quarterback Alex Smith had been traded have been circulating since last weekend. Jason La Confora of CBS Sports tweeted on Sunday that the 49ers had essentially done a deal with a mystery team. Speculation had been running high on which team was in need of Smith's services. The teams generating the most buzz were Jacksonville and Kansas City.

And then, the week started.

The Sacramento Bee's Matt Barrows reported that the deal was nothing more than a rumor. This may have accounted for the secret of the mystery teams and why there were no details from Smith or the 49ers. The consensus; however, still is that Smith will be dealt. It's only a matter of when. Complicating matters a bit is this is the season of subterfuge by football organizations. It's widely accepted that coaches, GMs and even some owners will be feeding the media false information leading up to the NFL draft on April 18th.

Any deal featuring Smith wouldn't become official until March 12, which gives both the 49ers and Smith's camp ample time to gauge the market for their client and produce a mini-bidding war in a season where there are no highly touted QBs coming out of college. The 49ers drafted Smith with the top overall selection in 2005. Mediocre play dogged him throughout his NFL career until the hiring of Coach Jim Harbaugh in 2011. Under Harbaugh's guidance, Smith became one of the more respected quarterbacks in the league. At the Combine, Harbaugh had nothing but praise for his former starter "I think the main thing is Alex is a heck of a football player," said Harbaugh. "Alex Smith, continuing to be a 49ers or if a trade occurs in the next weeks or months. Those are the possibilities...most-likely possibilities."

When Smith opted for free agency is 2012, teams including the 49ers were vying for the services of more accomplished quarterbacks such as Peyton Manning.

Smith re-signed with the team in 2012 and continued his improved play before being sidelined with a concussion in a 24-24 tie game with the St. Louis Rams on Nov. 11. His backup, second year QB Colin Kaepernick, took the reins and was allowed to keep the job, despite Smith's medical clearance. Smith's contract runs though the 2014 season. He's scheduled to earn $7.5 million including a $1 million roster bonus if he's with the team at the start of the season.