Alex Smith: San Francisco 49ers Must End The Alex Smith Era For Good

Alex Smith does not deserve to get a contract extension from the San Francisco 49ers.

Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area is reporting that “early speculation” around the NFL is that the 49ers plan on re-signing Smith to a two or three year extension that is worth between $8-11 million annually.

A 10-2 start with average stats (2,390 yards 15 TDs, seven TOs) doesn’t make up for five years of incredibly bad play. This is a guy that finished his rookie year with one TD pass and 14 turnovers!

I know that was way back in 2005, but it’s hard to look at his career stats and not have your eyes bleed. This year he’s been great, no question about it. His 63-percent completion rate with 15 TDs to only five interceptions is a big reason for the 49ers success. He isn’t taking big risks and making big mistakes.

That’s fine and dandy, but what happens when he completely lays an egg against the New Orleans Saints in the playoffs? What if it’s his three turnovers that are the difference? Remember, he has 66 career TD passes…and 69 turnovers.

Potential Coach of the Year Jim Harbaugh has done a marvelous job with him, but what is going to happen in the playoffs against opportunistic defenses like the Saints or the Green Bay Packers?

The 49ers have a Super Bowl caliber running game with Frank Gore and Kendall Hunter and a Super Bowl caliber defense led by Patrick Willis. Smith is not a Super Bowl caliber quarterback and if the 49ers foolishly agree to an extension, they are going to be kicking themselves by mid-January with all of the momentum built up this season tempered drastically.

The 49ers are a very good team with room to improve before they truly become a Super Bowl contender.

Besides, they did draft Colin Kaepernick with the 36^th pick in the 2011 draft.

The 49ers will never win a championship with Smith under center.