Alex Smith on visit to meet with Dolphins

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As if the drama around the 49ers' quarterback situation could get any more interesting . . . A week ago, quarterback Alex Smith was adamant he would return to the 49ers. And the 49ers had an offer on the table and were confident the sides would eventually work things out.While the 49ers wait for an answer from Peyton Manning after jumping into the race for his services last week, Smith is making the first free-agent visit of his career to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Smith arrived in the Miami area on Sunday morning to meet with the Dolphins. Several fans spotted him on an overnight flight from San Francisco to South Florida, and ESPN first reported Smith's trip was to meet with the Dolphins.embedly_twitter_50782942background:url(http:a0.twimg.comimagesthemestheme1bg.png) 1A1B1F; padding:20px; embedly_twitter_50782942 pbackground:fff;padding:10px 12px 0px 12px;margin:0;min-height:48px;color:000;font-size:18px;line-height:22px;-moz-border-radius:5px;-webkit-border-radius:5px embedly_twitter_50782942 .embedly_tweet_contentbackground:fff;padding:10px 12px 10px 12px;margin:0;min-height:48px;color:000;font-size:18px !important;line-height:22px;-moz-border-radius:5px;-webkit-border-radius:5px embedly_twitter_50782942 p span.metadatadisplay:block;width:100;clear:both;margin-top:0px;height:40px; padding-bottom: 12px; embedly_twitter_50782942 p span.metadata span.authorline-height:15px;color:999;font-size:14px embedly_twitter_50782942 p span.metadata span.author aline-height:15px;font-size:20px;vertical-align:middle embedly_twitter_50782942 p span.metadata span.author imgfloat:left;margin:0 10px 0 0px;width:48px;height:48px embedly_twitter_50782942 p a color: 2FC2EF; text-decoration:none; embedly_twitter_50782942 p a:hovertext-decoration:underline embedly_twitter_50782942 .embedly_timestampfont-size:13px;display:inline-block;margin-top: 5px; embedly_twitter_50782942 .components-above span.embedly_timestampfont-size:10px;margin-top: 1px;line-height:12px embedly_twitter_50782942 a color: 2FC2EF; text-decoration:none; embedly_twitter_50782942 a:hovertext-decoration:underline embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-screen-name font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-full-name padding-left: 4px; color: 999; font-size: 12px; embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-actionsmargin-left: 10px;font-size:13px;display:inline-block;width:250px embedly_twitter_50782942 .components-above span.tweet-actionsfont-size:10px embedly_twitter_50782942 .controlsline-height:12px!important embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-actions a margin-left:5px embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-actions a bfont-weight:normal embedly_twitter_50782942 .components-above span.tweet-actions a bvertical-align:baseline;line-height:12px embedly_twitter_50782942 .components-above .tweet-textfont-size:13px;vertical-align:baseline embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-image float: left; width: 40px; embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-user-block-image float: left; width: 48px; height: 48px embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-row margin-left: 40px; margin-top: 3px;line-height: 17px; embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-user-block margin-left: -40px; embedly_twitter_50782942 .stream-item padding-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 12px; embedly_twitter_50782942 .simple-tweet-image img margin-top: 4px; embedly_twitter_50782942 .simple-tweet-content margin: 0 0 13px 0px; font-size: 14px; min-height:48px; embedly_twitter_50782942 .in-reply-to-border border-color: EBEBEB; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0 0; embedly_twitter_50782942 .in-reply-to-text margin-left: 4px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 10px; color: 999; font-size: 12px; embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-actions i background: transparent url(http:a2.twimg.coma1306889658phoeniximgsprite-icons.png) no-repeat;width:15px;height:15px;margin:0 4px -3px 3px;outline: none; text-indent:-99999px;vertical-align:baseline;display:inline-block;position:relative; embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-actions a.retweet-action i background-position:-192px 0; embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-actions a.reply-action i background-position:0 0; embedly_twitter_50782942 .tweet-actions a.favorite-action i background-position:-32px 0;@DavisHsuSeattle
Davis HsuI am on flight right now (red eye) from San Francisco to Miami- QB Alex Smith is sitting in first class- you connect the dots.
Mar 18 via EchofonFavoriteRetweetReplyThe South Florida Sun-Sentinel caught up with Smith in the airport. After seven roller-coaster seasons with the 49ers, Smith said he is beyond the point where anything is a shock to him."This is the NFL," Smith said. "I guess nothing surprises me anymore. I never thought a year ago Manning would be a free agent either. I'm never surprised by anything."Smith seemed to have found a permanent home with the 49ers. After his performance during the season, Smith accepted coach Jim Harbaugh's NFL Coach of the Year Award in a nationally televised awards show the night before the Super Bowl. Smith also served as Harbaugh's caddie for the first round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.FLASHBACK: Harbaugh: Unanimous within 49ers that Smith is 'our guy'The 49ers won the NFC West with a 13-3 record and reached the NFC championship game with Smith at quarterback. Smith, the top pick in the 2005 draft, thrived under the tutelage of Harbaugh, offensive coordinator Greg Roman and quarterbacks coach Geep Chyrst.Smith's efficient play enabled the 49ers to tie and NFL record for fewest turnovers in a season with 10. He threw just five interceptions, and finished the season with 159 consecutive regular-season pass attempts without getting picked off. Steve Young holds the 49ers' record with 183 attempts without an interception, 1993.While the 49ers' passing game was efficient with Smith, it was far from prolific. The 49ers ranked 29th in the league in passing yards. Moreover, the 49ers ranked 31st in third-down conversions (29.4 percent) and 30th in red-zone efficiency, scoring touchdowns on just 40.7 percent of their trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line.Smith posted the best season of his career, completing 61.3 percent of his passes for 3,144 yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions. His passer rating was 90.7.Harbaugh said last season he considered Smith an "elite quarterback." However, as CSNBayArea.com has reported, the 49ers were not willing to make Smith an "elite" offer. SFGate.com reported Saturday that Smith's contract offer is three years, 24 million -- an 8 million average annually salary.In comparison, the New York Jets recently signed Mark Sanchez to a five-year, 58.25 million extension. And the Buffalo Bills signed Ryan Fitzpatrick last season to a seven-year, 62.2 million deal. Both players received more than 20 million in guaranteed money.
But until Sunday, there appeared to be no market for Smith.The Dolphins are looking for a quarterback and are involved in discussions with unrestricted free agent Matt Flynn, the Green Bay backup who played well in his limited opportunities.Meanwhile, the NFL Network reports Manning has informed his three suitors -- 49ers, Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans -- that he will make a decision Monday or Tuesday. However, ESPN reports Manning has made no such promise on when he expects to make a decision.

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