2011 NFL Free Agents: Who Must the SF 49ers Target to Replace Alex Smith?

It's no secret that QB Alex Smith is on his way out of San Francisco.

The team has given the former No. 1 overall selection a plethora of opportunities to grab hold of the reins, but Smith just can't seem to find any sort of consistency to his game.

Although it's not totally on Smith, who's had to go through numerous offensive coordinators and a few head coaches, one thing remains crystal clear.

It's definitely time for a change.

Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals

Palmer has already stated that he won't take a pay cut to stay with the Bengals, and coming off a season where his team managed just four wins, that's never a good start.

With the team bringing back Marvin Lewis as the head coach and signing up for another year of Chad Ochocinco's antics, it wouldn't be surprising to see the Bengals go in a different direction at the quarterback position.

At this point in his career, Palmer is severely overpaid, and could very well be a cap casualty in a very uncertain offseason. His skills have sharply declined, and his leadership simply hasn't been the same, but perhaps the 49ers can use him as a stopgap while they let a rookie (Cam Newton?) hold the clipboard in the early going.

Donovan McNabb, Washington Redskins

McNabb definitely won't be back in Washington next season, and both the 49ers and the veteran quarterback may find mutual interest in each other.

With some inconsistent young talent on the roster in guys like S Taylor Mays and WR Michael Crabtree, perhaps the prolific McNabb could serve as a tutor and mentor to both players.

Although he wouldn't be a long-term solution, it's clear that eight wins is good enough to get into the playoffs in that division, and if McNabb had been under center for the 49ers in 2010, it's almost guaranteed that they would've come away with at least a few more wins.

Vince Young, Tennessee Titans

Perhaps the most obvious choice, Young is going to have to really prove himself in 2011 as a capable NFL starter.

While his career record as a starting QB is well over the .500 mark, Young's inconsistency and questionable work ethic have both been heavily noted since he entered the league as the third overall selection.

With new head coach Jim Harbaugh's desire to implement the West Coast offense, perhaps Young will finally settle into a comfortable situation where he can succeed like he did during his collegiate days at Texas.

Kevin Kolb, Philadelphia Eagles

Kolb has reportedly told those close to him that if the Eagles bring back Michael Vick as the starter (which they obviously will), then he will seek employment elsewhere.

Clearly unhappy losing his starting gig and looking to make a name for himself as a legitimate quarterback in the NFL, Kolb has been trapped as a backup for nearly his entire career behind Donovan McNabb and now Michael Vick.

Kolb could excel in a low-pressure situation like San Francisco, and the 49ers may feel he's a more worthy investment than spending a first-round selection on an unproven collegiate QB.

Tarvaris Jackson, Minnesota Vikings

While some may like to refer to him as the right-handed Michael Vick, it's obvious that Jackson has a long way to go before he gets to be mentioned in the same sentence as the aforementioned MVP candidate.

After Jackson ended the season on IR, the Vikings are looking to QB Joe Webb as the future in Minnesota, leaving Jackson out in the cold. Much like Vince Young, Jackson has battled extreme inconsistency throughout his career, and because of that has often been relegated to a backup role throughout his NFL career.

While the 49ers would be hard pressed in relying on Jackson to be the starter, he could begin the season under center if a possible draft selection isn't quite ready to take over as soon as Week 1.