San Francisco 49ers: Is It a Make or Break Season for Alex Smith?

Yesterday, the Oakland Raiders officially released QB JaMarcus Russell just three years after drafting him with the No. 1 overall selection.

His time there was an utter disaster as he posted a dismal 65.2 passer rating and only won seven games as a starter. He is arguably considered the greatest draft bust of all time along with Ryan Leaf, a name no quarterback wishes to be in conversation with.

Just across the bay, the San Francisco 49ers, have a bit of a quarterback dilemma themselves. In 2005, the team spent their No. 1 overall pick on QB Alex Smith.

While Russell’s release isn’t exactly shocking news to anyone, Smith should take it in as a very bold message. It just goes to prove that front offices, even as stubborn as Al Davis’ Raiders, won’t shy away from making the wise decision, even if it means swallowing their dignity and admitting their blunders.

The 49ers are one of the most decorated franchises in NFL history. They have two Hall-Of-Fame quarterbacks in Joe Montana and Steve Young, who have combined to win five Super Bowl titles.  Needless to say, there is an abundance of pressure for Smith to follow in their footsteps. Looking at his brief five-year career so far, it’s definitely fair to say he hasn’t lived up to the high expectations.

However, after the organization passed on Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen twice in last month’s draft, it appears that they are confident with Smith behind center…for now.

This upcoming season could very likely be a make or break for his future with the Niners.

While many believe that they should have parted ways with Smith a couple of seasons ago, I still have faith in him.

Smith’s career up to this point has simply been a rocky roller coaster as he’s faced numerous obstacles that would make it difficult for even Peyton Manning to succeed under.

I’ve given Smith a lot of leeway over the years. I’ve given excuse after excuse hoping that he would resurrect his career and turn the franchise around.

This is it though. No more excuses. The team has done everything they can to put him in a situation to succeed. Now it’s all up to him to capitalize on the opportunity.

I always said that he’s never had a decent supporting cast to work with. However, over the past few seasons, they’ve substantially invested on the offensive side of the ball. He now possesses an arsenal that includes Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, and Vernon Davis.

Moreover, they’ve tailored the offense to favor his strengths. He started the final 10 games last season and as each game passed, it was obvious that they were transitioning to more of a spread, shotgun style of offense, much like Smith successfully ran in college.

Another reason why Smith struggled so far was due to inconsistency in his coaching staff. For the first time in his career, though, he will be working with the same offensive coordinator for back to back seasons which should help his progression.

He’s got head coach Mike Singletary’s full support, and has rebuilt trust and confidence from his players after leading them on a 4-2 stretch last season.

The burden of leading the team to their first trip to the playoffs since 2002 now lies heavily on Smith’s shoulders. His performance will truly be the deciding factor of whether or not they claim the reigns to the division or falter like they have in the recent past.

If he fails to do so, they may be looking to cut ties with him and look in a different direction, much like what Oakland did.

Despite the critics, I’m confident that Smith can be a true franchise quarterback in this league, and I wish him the best of luck moving forward. Hopefully he will be able to take control of the team and guide them on the road of success for years to come.