Contract talks are for after the season

When is the right time for the 49ers to begin working with quarterback Alex Smith on a contract extension?The answer: When the season is over.Smith has done everything asked of him, beginning in late-April when the 49ers handed the keys of the offense to him on the one day the NFL lockout lifted.Smith sifted through all the material the coaching staff compiled on the new offense. And Smith learned everything he could about the system at a time when he was also learning how to change diapers after becoming a father.In June, Smith was at his best. He organized two sessions of "Camp Alex," and he acted as the 49ers' de facto head coach, offensive coordinator and quarterback while also taking care of all the logistics with the folks at San Jose State University.
Coach Jim Harbaugh risked the possibility of fines from the NFL by continuing to heap praise on Smith, who was unsigned. Harbaugh did not care. He had a message he wanted to drive home. He wanted the word out there. He wanted Smith to hear it over and over. Harbaugh wanted everybody to know that he had confidence in Alex Smith.In turn, Smith has confidence in the coaching staff. He knows he is finally being placed in situations to succeed. He trusts his coaches. As a result, Smith is playing with more confidence than he has ever shown in his NFL career. So there is no reason for the 49ers to create any kind of distraction for him at this point with talks toward a new contract. It is a topic that can be addressed when the season has reached its conclusion -- at the end of 16 regular-season games and the 49ers' first playoff appearance since the 2002 season.
Harbaugh last week called Smith an "elite quarterback." But don't expect the 49ers to pay Smith like an elite quarterback.
The Buffalo Bills recently signed Ryan Fitzpatrick to a reported seven-year, 62 million contract extension worth 24 million guaranteed. That deal surely raised some eyebrows within the 49ers, who believe the Bills overpaid for a largely unproven commodity.The fact is that money will not be a huge issue with Alex Smith. They have already paid him a lot of money, so that will count for something.
If the 49ers determine they want to retain Alex Smith -- and, right now, I can't see them deciding to toss him to the curb -- it will get done.There is no way -- no way -- Smith will finally experience success with this coaching staff and then decide he wants to start over again in some other NFL city just so he can earn a few more dollars.That's why a contract extension is a topic that can be shelved until after the 49ers have played their final game.