Monday, February 27, 2012

Five Moves To Consider Before NBA Deadline

In this shortened NBA season, the trade deadline is just a month after this All-Star weekend, and NBA people are expecting there to be a lot of movement between now and that March 29th deadline. Here are five moves that contenders should make, or that should happen before that deadline

Move #1: Dwight Howard out of Orlando: Now, wherever he ends up, that team obviously becomes a contender automatically, but there are a number of teams he could end up with and he may very well stay put in Orlando. This is why I say this is the number one move as far shaping contending teams' rosters down the stretch. With a Howard, a healthy JRich, Anderson having the year he's having and Jameer Nelson continues his February comeback, then Orlando's legit. Again though, unless they deal Howard to some team for a draft pick and a project youngster like, say a DeAndre Jordan for example, then they should be able to attain enough in return to keep them contenders in the East. Their best bet was the Howard-for-Bynum deal that LA supposedly offered. I mean, the general consensus is Bynum is center #2 in the NBA, younger and cheaper than Howard? He'd give them someone to really build around who they know wouldn't be asking out in a year or two. Or, they should look to New Jersey and try and milk MarShon Brooks, Anthony Morrow and Brook "BroLo" Lopez out of the deal, then I think they end up fine there as well. He'll be the most watched player as the deadline approaches, but either way, the Magic should be contenders no matter what happens.

Deal #2: Steve Nash or Ramon Sessions to LA Lakers- The Lake show need a point guard that wasn't playing in the 1980's (no offense D-Fish, you've had your time), but seriously, how they expect to keep winning and keep Kobe fresh with him orchestrating the offense is asking for trouble. They've been focusing on Howard, but they have two twin-towers in Gasol and Bynum and don't need Howard! They need a ball handler and a guy who can hit a 3. Nash would be ideal, cause of his outside shot and he'd be a monster with Bynum and Gasol. Just not sure the Lake Show have anything Phoenix would want (they wouldn't give them Bynum or Gasol for 38 year-old Nash) so it may make more sense for LA to see a deal for the highly underrated Ramon Sessions. His assists-per-minute ratio are out of this world. He's not the defender, clutch shooter or winner Nash has been, but he'd fit perfectly with what the Lakers are need! A young/upside guy like Andre Goudelock and/or Josh McRoberts should be plenty enough for Cleveland, especially since they'd get nothing when Sessions walks as a free agent after the year and there aren't many teams rushing for his services!

Deal #3: Chris Kaman/Emeka Okafor to the Heat: Miami got exposed last year in the finals going against Tyson Chandler and they can't have that happen again. They need someone in the middle who can start and command respect and unfortunately, Joel Anthony just isn't that guy yet. Kaman is the best option with a contract expiring at the end of the year and could give the Heat exactly what they need, 12-14 points and 10 boards with blocks and the ability to defend 7-footers. Right now, you put Andrew Bynum, Dwight Howard or Al Jefferson up against them, and those guys have field days. They need one of their own, not a superstar or anything, but someone why can do a little of that and stop it as well and Kaman seems to be the most logical choice of centers on the market and a move like that could literally lock up the Championship for Miami, cause that's their only weakness right now. Joel Anthony is a great backup and plays with energy, but doesn't have the skill-set to play with the upper echelon of NBA Centers. Emeka Okafor, Kaman's teammate would also fit that mold, maybe more so than Kaman. Okafor is more of a defensive minded center, and probably better than Kaman, and Miami certainly isn't in shortage of scorers.

Deal #4: Paul Pierce to the Spurs: The dagger-thrower deserves another shot at a tittle, and fits picture perfectly in with the aging San Antonio Spurs. Boston has made no bones about the fact they want to deal Pierce, but that's probably only because he'll bring a lot more in return than either Kevin Garnett or Ray Allen. Why else would you want to deal your franchise's longest tenured star? If they do indeed send him off, San Antonio is the spot for him. The Spurs could package either DeJuan Blair or Tiago Splitter, Gary Neal and the young, impressive Kawhi Leonard to Boston; though it would be a blow to their future chances, it gives them another shot at a tittle run or two with Tim Duncan and the Italian assassin, Manu Ginobli, still playing at a sturdy levels. Richard Jefferson just isn't getting it done and they need more help from the wing spot than just the banged up Ginobli. Ray Allen is another guy who makes sense for this team. But the Spurs, surprisingly, are another scorer away from being legit title contenders again.

Deal #5: Ray Allen to the Bulls:Speaking of that Pierce deal, if Boston does that, they could end up shipping Ray Allen out of town as well and keeping KG and Rondo to re-build around. KG has lost a step, but has so much flexibility and every rebuilding team needs a solid veteran presence. The Bulls are looking for another veteran scoring guard and have been less than impressed with what they've gotten out of the often injured Rip Hamilton. Ray Allen would be a sniper, catching balls off of Derrick Rose's dribble-drive or Boozer and Noah's kick-outs. Exactly the kind of 3-point tosser this team needs. They should have made a larger offer to Jason Richardson before the season, as JRich recently conceded that his final two choices came down to Chicago or returning to Orlando. JRich in Chicago right now with that core of talent would have been a nice fit. Ray Allen though, is the perfect compliment to a young, athletic, good defensive squad! I just don't think they can handle Miami with relying on Derrick Rose and Carlos Boozer as their primary offensive pieces.

Now, just because we didn't mention the Warriors in there, doesn't mean I don't think they should be active before the deadline. They simply aren't contenders, but they should be as active as anyone at the deadline. They need to figure out whether they're going to add and make a playoff run, or subtract, play youngsters and hope for that top-7 pick. The ladder seems to make more since seeing that even if the Dubs made the playoffs as a 8th seed, they'd never beat the Thunder in round one. Unless they can land a legit big man that they can keep past this season, they really should consider dealing away role players who've played so well for them, and cash in on those guys while their value is high. I'm talking Brandon Rush and Nate Robinson and maybe even Dorrell Wright, granted you got the right package in return. Give those minutes to guys like Jeremy Tyler, Klay Thompson and Charles Jenkins, and it bodes better for your future in so many ways! I'm actually curious, do to their lack of big men, that Tyler hasn't been thrown into the fire more often. Anyway, the NBA second half is about to begin, and if you do any NBA or March Madness wagering, we encourage you check out TopBet Sportsbook. If I were to bet myself, I'd say of the above five suggested moves, at least one of them will come to fruition by the deadline!

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

NFL Free Agent Rumors Start to Swirl

It sure didn't take NFL's free agency period doesn't start for another 3 weeks, but the first relevant preliminary deal was announced Monday, as former Raider corner, Stanford Routt, found a new home in Kansas City where he'll likely play opposite of all-pro Brandon Flowers.

Now, on the surface, this deal doesn't seem to effect the 49ers too much, but it certainly does. They want all-pro corner Carlos Rogers back, but with numbers that are being tossed out for premium corners these days it's going to be a tough task. Coupled with the fact that the CB free agent class is thin and the 49ers just lost out on a very capable replacement in Routt, the one guy I was just about to writer about as being a possible replacement for Rogers. I don't blame the 49ers for not wanting to give Rogers some 5 year/$55 million deal or whatever he's seeking. I mean, before 2011, he had a hard time finding a team who would take him on as a starting CB until the 49ers missed out on all their other, higher up choices, and settled for the 30 year-old. That's another thing with Rogers, is that he's not a spring chicken and plays a position that demands the quickest players in the league, so giving him a huge deal may not be the smartest thing in the world. I'd give him big money for 2-3 years, but no longer. Even if Rogers returned, the 49ers would still be in need of at least one more, NFL-caliber corner. The one corner I really like, maybe more so than even Rogers is Brandon Carr who can really shut down big-time wideouts and has more speed than Rogers. He was also overshadowed a bit in KC by Flowers, but he was just about as good. Also with Routt headed to KC, it likely leaves Carr looking for a new place to call home. The 49ers really need to end up with either Carr, Grimes, re-sign Rogers or make a push for Cortland Finnegan! Then on top of that, get themselves an Aaron Ross, Tracy Porter or some legit CB 2 they can move Tarrell Brown to the slot and really improve that nickle and dime pass defense!

As far as their other big two FA's, the 49ers are expected to use their franchise tag on DaShon Goldson, which would be a wise move. They cannot let that guy leave town as he's an exemplary as to what that defense has become. As important as Willis, Bowman and the Smith's are, Goldson is the center fielder and the "big-play saver" and "big-play maker"! So whatever they have to do to keep him in the Red and Gold, they must. As for Alex Smith, people are making it sound like he's assuredly returning, and I wouldn't argue with that, but there's another very talented QB out there on the market who, if Smith bolts, I wouldn't mind seeing the 49ers entertain. That is Jason Campbell, who I think is a better QB than Alex, but just not sure on his health.

As for the wideouts, that is the one position where the 49ers should probably need the most help, and luckily for them, it's the deepest position in the draft and free agency. They probably don't have the capital to bring in a top corner like Rogers and a top WR like Vincent Jackson or Dwayne Bowe, but they may just surprise us. If not a huge name like Bowe, Colston, Wallace or Jackson, there are some others who should help, with my first choice going to SF native Stevie Johnson who seems to want out of Buffalo. Johnson just keeps putting up numbers, no matter who's throwing it to him and is a tough player who plays through injury! Also, Mario Manningham, Jerome Simpson or even the vet, Reggie Wayne, would all be welcome additions to the 49ers receiving corps. The thing is, the 49ers don't just need one guy. They need at least two guys who can come in and really help right away. They could get one of those guys in the draft in round one (as there are five first round WR's in this draft) or, more likely, they have to sign them. The 49ers haven't had success with WR's in the draft in years, and even Crabtree hasn't lived up to his potential yet, so I'd stay away from WR's in round one if I'm the 49ers and draft an impact defensive back!

The big name that was tossed out on KNBR Tuesday that Larry Kruegar suggested, and an idea I really like, would be to try and swipe Mike Wallace out from Pittsburgh, where he's a restricted FA, which in turn would provide Pitt. with the Niners first rounder (because of Wallace's status). I don't think your going to find a talent like Mike Wallace at pick 30, so I'd jump all over that! The guy has decent size, great hands, can run routes with the best of 'em and can out-run most DB's in the NFL. He's a true game changer and a big reason why the Steelers have had so much offensive success the last few seasons!

Friday, February 17, 2012

Talking Niners: New Internet Show

Here is a new internet show called Talkin' Niners with host Trevor Cole, who also runs the Bay Area Sports Journal and Bay Area Sports Blog Network! Hope you guys enjoy, feel free to bash it, love it, hate it or whatever in the comments section, all criticism/encouragement is accepted! Just click the Speaker button on the video for the audio!


UnifyVideos.tv-Create and Share Branded Video Content.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

A's Follow Up Cespedes Signing with ManRam?

According to a few reliable sources, including Fox Sports, the A's have followed up their signing of Cuban stud outfielder Yeonis Cespedes with another huge Latin baseball name, Manny Ramirez.

The deal isn't official, but it's been on-going in talks for over a week now, and seems pretty close to inevitable, especially after the signing of Cespedes. I think the A's are bringing in Ramirez mostly because they want him to be a mentor to the young Cuban outfielder, but they also have a huge hole at the DH spot where they have penciled in strikeout machine, Chris Carter, who has mammoth power but nickname as "strikeout machine" speaks for itself (44 K's with just 3 HR in 114 MLB at-bats). Compare that to his Sacramento numbers when he hit 31 jacks in 125 games in 2010 then 21 in 75 games last year! Unfortunately, for Carter, I just don't ever see him being able to hit ML pitching. A's would still be Manny-less until late May, but they have enough options at DH to fill in until then (Jonny Gomes choice number 1). Not sure what he's got left, if anything, but I'm sure the year off has healed him up nicely and the fact he'll only need to play 100 games (all at DH mind you) will probably keep him healthy and in the lineup. As I said when A's interest in Manny first broke, I think this would be a win-win move for Oakland. It not only adds excitement (now along with Cespedes) to an otherwise lackluster offensive ball club and will certainly put a few extra thousand fans in the Coliseum come June when you got ManRam and Cespedes back-to-back. In 100 games, a healthy Manny could definitely be good for 20 jacks and 60 RBI, and it really reminds me of the Frank Thomas signing back in 2006, and I'd look for similar success. A small market, under the radar team would be ideal for Manny's comeback.

So with Manny in tow, albeit not until late May, this is what the A's are hoping their lineup shapes into. And this is of now, as Beane has shown he's not scared to add players who can hit that can't find homes and another guy I like for them is Wilson Betemit, who could play third or first for them. Another guy I couldn't understand why Beane didn's sign was Casey Kotchman, who is a high OBP, decent power, good gap hitter who can pick it at first? Anyway, this would much more interesting lineup when ManRam's ready. Just hope it does't cost Michael Taylor (A's top OF prospect) his shot cause I see big things for him this year. Taylor keeps getting blocked by guys like Matsui or DeJesus and now Crisp again, and this dude is real 5-tool talent! A big reason why, in fact, probably a the majority factor behind the Cespedes signing and a guy like Manny that if Cespedes, who's just 26 and signed for 4 years at a reasonable rate, produce, they'll be huge commodities in the trade market. An AL team desperate for a DH in July would jump all over ManRam if he were hitting .315 with 10 HR and 35 RBI with a .950 OPS and the A's now have that value for dirt cheap. Not saying he'll do exactly that, but that's what he has the ability to do and command! With Cespedes, a team like the Yankees could love him after a year and give the A's the moon for him next winter. These are strong moves by Beane, win-win! Not a bad looking lineup either, especially that top-4:

CF Crisp
2B Weeks
RF Cespedes
DH Ramirez
1B Allen
C Suzuki
3B Sizemore
LF Taylor/Gomes
SS Pennington

Monday, February 13, 2012

Breaking News: A's Sign Yeonis Cespedes

Despite entering the offseason in full-sellers mode, and trying to get their payroll down as low as possible while still attempting to field a competitive team, the A's made a signing Monday that sent some shock throughout the baseball world and free agency.

The A's, for the first time that I can remember really, actually went out and signed a big name free agent to a multi-year deal. They got Cespedes for just 4 years and $36 million, roughly $25 million less than Billy Beane and the A's brain-trust thought he'd get coming into the offseason, so to them, they just got a potential superstar at about 1/2 the price they expected him to go for. Now, I watched a lot of that Cespedes tape from Youtube, and saw his winter league coverage and talked about him at various times over at our Giants Blog as a potential replacement for Carlos Beltran, but they never seemed the least bit interested. Cespedes is a 26 year-old power hitting, fast running outfielder who reminds scouts of a blend of Andruw Jones and Vlad Guerrero, two guys you certainly want to be compared to as a Latin player. The A's were in the market for a DH/power hitting outfielder type, but I though Beane would go for Manny Ramirez, but I think they saw this as a deal too good to pass up. Supposedly, Ramirez is still on the table for Oakland as well, so more offense could be on the way. Cespedes has the ability to hit 30 homers and steal 20-30 bases on raw talent alone, let alone what he'll be like in 2 years after learning the league a bit. The 26 year-old should enter spring as the favorite to win one of the open outfield spots, as there's no way the A's will be paying this guy $9M per year to ride the pine.

Again, I've never seen Cespedes actually play a full game, just parts and highlights, but there's a reason why I wanted the Giants to pursue him so heavily, and at the time, I expected him to get upwards of $50 million. The fact that his price tag fell down into the 30's should have raised the Giants interest, but it was the A's who snuck in at the final hour and made the coup and I think they'll be mighty glad they did. It's funny too, because I just did an A's roster analysis as they set to enter spring next week, and now they pull off a move like this! I'll be watching as close as anyone to see how this pans out, but what a better way to generate interest around a lackluster team losing it's fan base? Especially with the Hispanic culture in the Bay Area! That was a brilliant signing as it not only helps the team on the field, but it also gives the team relevance in the town of Oakland again. They have a player to be excited about and go to the ballpark for. It's no longer just Mark Ellis and Kurt Suzuki and those guys. I questioned it very heavily at first, but the A's offseason has turned out pretty well considering. Here is the new projected A's lineup (as you'll see, looking a lot more formidable) with Cespedes, posted below that is the Youtube vid that Cespedes' people put together for MLB teams.

CF Coco Crisp
2B Jemile Weeks
DH Seth Smith
RF Yeonis Cespedes
C Kurt Suzuki
3B Scott Sizemore
1B Kila Ki'ahuie
LF Michael Taylor
SS Cliff Pennington

Still not a powerhouse, but with Weeks, Taylor and Cespedes, this team is starting to accumulate some young positional talent. If only they'd go get Wilson Betimet for third base and Derek Lee at first, both who'd probably cost a combined $5 million for 2012. In case you haven't seen a lick of Cespedes yet, here's an idea of what the kid will bring to Oakland!Link

Sunday, February 12, 2012

A's Set to Enter Spring Training

With Spring Training reporting dates under a week away, I figured we'd do our A's Spring Training Preview, and get to know who will be playing where once spring games do get under way in March.

First of all, the A's started the offseason in sellers mode, trading away Trevor Cahill, Andrew Bailey and Gio Gonzalez. However, since those deals, the A's have done what they do so well, add cheap, younger talent to take those guys places. I just watched "Moneyball" actually, and fell that the approach portrayed in that film is really coming out with this squad, as they've lost 3 of their more notable players and have replaced them with a plethora of lesser but valuable players in their own right. They also managed to hang onto Coco Crisp, which I thought was the oddest move they made this winter, judging by the fact he's a leadoff guy who doesn't get on base all that well, something they desire in Oakland. Anyway, here is the A's depth chart heading into spring training, assuming they don't add Many Ramirez, who I think would be a great draw for this squad:

Catchers: Kurt Suzuki, Derek Norris

Infielders: Daric Barton, Jemile Weeks, Cliff Pennington, Scott Sizemore, Adam Rosales, Kila Ki'aihue

Outfielders: Coco Crisp, Josh Reddick, Seth Smith, Johnny Gomes, Michael Taylor

DH: Chris Carter

Starters: Dallas Braden, Brandon McCarthy, Tyson Ross*, Bartolo Colon, Jarrod Parker

Relievers: Brian Fuentes, Joey Devine, Grant Balfour, Tommy Milone, Jerry Blevins, Fautino De Los Santos

Injured: LHP Brett Anderson (out until at least July), *RHP Tyson Ross (should be ready by opening day)

Now, again, there's still some time between now and when opening day rosters start to get accumulated, and there are still a few free agents who the A's may find interesting, especially on dirt cheap deals. I know they'd consider either Magglio Ordonez or Raul Ibanez and I believe either would be an upgrade to this roster. As is, they have Daric Barton and that Kila guy from KC battling it out at first, but another first basemen who could really help out is still waiting for a deal as well, and they should grab him up ASAP! The guy I wanted them to go after was Casey Kotchman, who got peanuts to go to Cleveland, despite sporting being a 28 year-old coming off a career year who had some pop, got on base and was a good first basemen. But now, the guy I'd turn to is Derek Lee. I think he's holding out for a contender, but he'd be such an upgrade over Barton it wouldn't even be funny. Just look what Lee did with Pittsburgh last season!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Giants BlogCast: Giants add Ryan Theriot, Clay Hensley

As most of you know, we have two other prominent sports sites, dedicated to the Golden State Warriors and the San Francisco Giants, so we don't really talk about them as much here as we should. So I decided that at least two times per month, I'll post a Giants Cast, just letting people know what's going on with the San Francisco Giants and the latest happenings. We'll still post on the Giants when big news occurs, but here is our latest GiantsCast, with a discussion on the two newest Giants additions. For the sound, just click the speaker button on the video:

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Super Bowl XLVI Preview and Prediction

Well, I know Bay Area fans didn't get the Super Bowl that they all thought was possible a few weeks ago, but nonetheless, I'm sure most 49er fans will be tuning in to see exactly how their team could have matched up with the best offense in the AFC.

I'll make it short and sweet, because I made no bones about the fact I thought the winner of the NFC Championship was bound to go on a defeat the New England Patriots, and as much as I hate to say, I think the Giants are going to find away to beat Brady and Pats again in the big game. The Giants have been the hottest team in all of football since December, with the league's best-playing QB during the stretch, and has been by far the best team in this postseason so I don't foresee that changing Sunday. The Patriots will put up some points, no doubt, but so will the Giants, and New York's defense is about 5 times better than New England's unit, so even if Brady puts up some big numbers, it's not like the Giants will ever really be out of the game. The only way I see the Giants losing this game is if Eli shows up and has a terrible game, and the Giants end up losing the turnover battle in a bad way. The one thing the Patriots defense does do is gamble, and if they come up with a few big takeaways, than it will tremendously help their soft and beatable defense. I mean, they have a few nice players on that unit, but outside of LB Jarod Mayo, DT Vince Wilfork and CB Kyle Arrington (who's been banged up the whole postseason), they don't have any impact defensive players who the Giants really have to game-plan for. For instance, on the other end, the Patriots will have their hands full trying to keep the Giants ridiculous front-4 out of Tom Brady's face, something they had trouble doing vs. Baltimore.

The Patriots just have too many holes to overcome against such a solid team like the Giants. New York should really neutralize the Patriots already below average run game and will basically get to send the house after Brady while letting their solid secondary lock down on Pats receivers. Again, I still expect Brady to get his, probably throw for 300 yards and a few scores, but I think this games is the Giants' to lose. It doesn't help the Patriots that their top red-zone target (TE Rob Gronkowski) won't be playing at 100% either. The Giants have the ability to really control the game clock with Bradshaw and Jacobs vs. an average-at-best front, and move the chains with Manning, who was a robot on third downs in January. It should be relatively close, because of the Pats ability to put up quick points, and that coaching staff is a great one, so they'll throw all they can at the Giants. But in the end, I see another New York SB victory at the hands of Brady and the Pats.

PREDICTIONS:

New York Giants 34 - New England Patriots 28

Super Bowl MVP: Eli Manning (25-38, 315 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT)

Thursday, February 2, 2012

First Up for 49ers: Retain Their Own Free Agents

The 49ers enter the 2012 offseason with a very solid foundation, and tons of talent already signed up and accounted for as far as the 2012 season is concerned. However, the team does have a few impact free agents, including QB Alex Smith, CB Carlos Rogers and S Dashon Goldson, who will all be free to sign with any team they please once free agency starts if the 49ers are unable to lock them up before then.

Obviously, the team needs to add some help to their receiving group, as well as another corner or two, but first and foremost, they need to figure out who will and won't be returning from 2011's squad for next season. The three biggest free agents the 49ers will be facing decisions on come March and April are Smith, Rogers and Goldson, and I think there's a pretty good chance that all three will be returning. The thing is, Rogers and Goldson each had terrific years, and Goldson especially, could be looking to really cash in this summer and get the big contract he felt he should have received last summer. Of the team's big-three free agents, I foresee Goldson as potentially the toughest to retain, but that shouldn't keep the 49ers from doing whatever possible in attempt to retain him. He and Donte Whitner each had very nice seasons and were a big reason for the increased play in the secondary, as was the pro-bowl play of Carlos Rogers. The 30 year-old corner has come out and made it quite clear that he not only wants to remain in San Francisco, but he expects to. He had one of the best seasons any 49er cornerback has had in years so I expect them to reward him with a nice 2-3 year contract and it wouldn't surprise me if Rogers is the first free agent the retain.

Alex Smith will be a bit more of a tricky proposition. There's no question that he 49ers will want him back in 2012 and may end up giving him a 2-3 year contract . Even though the free agent QB class is pretty thin, he really fits well with what the 49ers are doing right now and probably won't be as valuable to a team like the Dolphins or Redskins as he would the 49ers. He knows this offense now and is comfortable in it and he's a tremendous match with Jim Harbough. There are just too many things pointing towards his return to San Francisco, whether 49ers fans like it or not. He showed me a lot against the Saints, and although he didn't play particularly well vs. New York, he still played just good enough for the team to win that game, even though receivers Kyle Williams and Michael Crabtree were basically non-existent in the passing game. If you add another 2 wideouts and give Smith another couple of weapons to use, then I think it will surely lead to him improving as a quarterback. He showed big strides in 2011 just with ball security alone, and as good a back Frank Gore is, it's not like he had a lights out 2011 season to really lead the offense. He had a decent year, but was injured a bit and had a few games where he got just 10-12 carries, so if you think Smith wasn't a factor in the teams' 13-win campaign, think again. I think a reasonable offer to Smith would be a 2-year, $15 million deal with a $10M team option for a 3rd year.

Would Smith sign that deal? I really don't know, but if he wants to stay in a spot where he's likely to have the most success and with arguably the best "quarterback" head coach in the NFL, he'd be smart to stick around another couple of years. I mean, he's still a very young guy in terms of NFL QB's so if he did continue to improve over the next two years, he could be looking to really cash in by the time he's 30. Just look at a guy like Matt Schaub, who showed glimpses in his early years but really became a top-notch NFL QB at age 28 in 2009. Smith, at 27, is right in his prime and if they add a Dwayne Bowe or a Marques Colston as well as another WR in the draft, then he'll get to show it. I'm definitely leaning towards the "Keep Alex Smith" group.

UP NEXT: SUPER BOWL XLVI Preview and Predictions!