NEW YORK -- Alex Smith, the first pick in April's draft,
agreed to terms Monday on a six-year, $57 million deal with the San
Francisco 49ers.
Smith will receive a guaranteed $24 million, a lawyer familiar
with terms of the deal told The Associated Press on condition of
anonymity.
The agreement is expected to set off a run of signings of
first-round draft picks.
The only other first-rounders to agree to terms are defensive
tackle Mike Patterson with Philadelphia, and offensive lineman
Logan Mankins, taken by New England with the 32nd and last pick of
the first round. Both signed deals Monday.
Smith is expected to compete immediately with Tim Rattay for the
starting quarterback job with the 49ers, who finished 2-14 in 2004
and have gone consecutive seasons without making the playoffs for
just the second time since 1980.
The 49ers are counting on Smith to grasp their new version of
the West Coast offense quickly after playing mostly out of the
shotgun for two years at Utah. They are hoping he can be the key
piece as the franchise tries to regain the level of dominance it
had with Joe Montana and Steve Young under center.
After winning five Super Bowls and playing in nine NFC
championship games in 14 years with those Hall of Fame
quarterbacks, the 49ers have made it to the NFC title game only
once in the last 10 seasons, losing to Green Bay at the end of the
1997 season.
Smith and new coach Mike Nolan have their work cut out. The
49ers have little proven talent at receiver: San Francisco signed
veteran Johnnie Morton earlier this offseason to join Brandon
Lloyd, Arnaz Battle and 2004 No. 1 pick Rashaun Woods.
Morton and tight end Eric Johnson are the only Niners receivers
with more than 60 career receptions.
Smith, who left Utah after his junior season, led the Utes to
their first BCS bowl win, a victory over Pittsburgh in the Fiesta
Bowl. They finished 12-0 and were ranked fourth in The Associated
Press poll.
This past season, he completed 185 of 280 passes for 2,624 yards
with 28 touchdowns and just four interceptions. He also rushed for
563 yards and 10 touchdowns in the regular season. He finished
fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting.
Smith, who is represented by Tom Condon, will get $4 million
more guaranteed money than Eli Manning, last year's first pick
overall, who received $20 million from the New York Giants. Manning
also is represented by Condon.
Smith's deal, according to the lawyer, is expected to average
$8.25 million compared to about $7.5 million for Manning.
Miami had been waiting for Smith to sign before completing its
deal with running back Ronnie Brown, taken second overall. Brown is
expected to start for the Dolphins, then could alternate with Ricky
Williams, who sat out last season, when Williams returns from a
drug suspension after the first four games of the season.
Williams reported to the Dolphins on Monday.
Hours before Smith agreed to terms with the 49ers, Dolphins
defensive end Jason Taylor said the team was anxious for Brown to
arrive in camp.
"He's got to wait until the business part of it gets
straightened out," Taylor said after the Dolphins' first
training-camp practice. "I think everyone understands why he's not
here. It's part of the game."
Dolphins coach Nick Saban also indicated he wasn't surprised
Brown was not at the first practice, especially because Miami was
the first team to formally open training camp. The Dolphins play
their first preseason game on Aug. 8, part of the reason they began
practice a bit earlier than usual.
"Our people are doing an outstanding job of trying to get the
business end of this done," Saban said. "But I think this is a
circumstance that we don't have total control on, based on
timing."