Why didn't Dolphins sign Smith?

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SANTA CLARA -- Between the time in free agency the 49ers attended a Peyton Manning workout and Manning called 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh to inform him he would be signing with the Denver Broncos, Alex Smith visited the Miami Dolphins.

Smith took a red-eye flight to Miami to meet with the Dolphins. He returned to the Bay Area, and a couple days later re-signed with the 49ers.

"He is a first-class individual," Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said Wednesday morning on a conference call with reporters who cover the 49ers.

"He's an excellent football player. You can tell he's a team guy, an unselfish guy, loves the game, is passionate about football. And he's really a good person. I really enjoyed my time with him."

So why didn't it work out for the Dolphins to sign Smith?

"You'd have to ask him," Philbin said. "I don't know."

Did the Dolphins make an offer?

"We had a great visit, and I'll leave it at that," Philbin said. "You should talk to him. In any relationship, it takes two sides to tango. I think you should certainly ask him about that. But I have nothing but good things to say about our visit. I really enjoyed him."

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