Back in April, Alex Smith met with Jim Harbaugh and the rest of the coaching staff to discuss his future and also the offense so that Smith would be prepared to lead workouts when the lockout returned shortly thereafter. At the meeting, Smith was reportedly told that while the team wanted to re-sign him, they were also going to consider other options to compete in training camp. This is not exactly a shocking piece of news, but it was worth noting.
One quarterback 49ers fans have had an eye on, particularly since Jim Harbaugh took over, is Tampa Bay Buccaneers backup QB Josh Johnson. He is under contract with the Bucs in 2011 for $596,833 and will be a free agent in 2012. Given that Josh Freeman is locked in as the long term started in Tampa Bay, Johnson will no doubt walk as a free agent next year or be traded by the Bucs this year.
I bring Johnson up now because he spoke with reporters in San Francisco yesterday and mentioned potentially playing for Harbaugh. Johnson went to Oakland Tech with his cousin Marshawn Lynch and the two have formed a charity called Fam 1st Foundation. They were holding a fundraiser at Epic Roasthouse and Johnson indicated he would definitely be interested in a potential move back to the Bay Area.
"I'd get to come home, be with my family, play for a coach that changed my life and play for a team that I grew up loving," Johnson said when asked about a potential post-lockout trade. "But reality of the situation is this is a business and we're all seeing it with this lockout. So I'm a part of the Buccaneers and I have one year left."
Given the 49ers addition of Colin Kaepernick in the draft, does Johnson go on the backburner at this point? Or do you try and acquire Johnson, dump Carr and roll the dice that you'll find a long term answer somewhere between Alex, JJ, and CK?