49ers: Top 3 Destinations For Alex Smith

October 18, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith (11) passes the ball during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks at Candlestick Park. The 49ers defeated the Seahawks 13-6. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-US PRESSWIRE

There’s no question that Alex Smith is looking for a new team. After suffering a head injury earlier in the season, he watched Colin Kaepernick steal the show for San Francisco, and ultimately took over his starting job.

Kaepernick was able to lead the 49ers all the way to the Super Bowl, only to come up a play short of winning it all. However, it is clear that he is the future of the team and will remain the starting quarterback.

So with that said, where should Alex Smith take his talents?

Here are three teams that Smith would fit in nicely with:

1. New York Jets 

The New York Jets are in trouble, big trouble in fact. After acquiring Tim Tebow last offseason, no team in the NFL has received more media attention than the Jets.

Who will be the starter? What are the Jets thinking? Can Tebow lead the Jets like he did with the Broncos? Sports fans heard it all.

Well, it turned out to be a huge disappointment.

Tebow rarely got any playing time, and only really came in for the occasional wildcat play or to protect their punter on fourth downs.

Sanchez?

Well he had arguably the worst season of his career, as he finished with 13 passing touchdowns on 18 interceptions, while throwing for less than 3,000 yards. Even worse, Greg McElroy won the start over him for a game late in the season, a game that the Jets would go on to win.

Smith would be a great option for the Jets. With Tebow likely to be traded, and Sanchez probably on the move as well, Smith would essentially fit right into the offense. He is an experienced NFL veteran who knows what he’s doing, and would immediately improve the Jets’ chances of winning.

2. Arizona Cardinals

 Okay if it’s not Kevin Kolb, and if it’s not John Skelton, then who is it?

The  Arizona Cardinals had a lot of trouble this season figuring out who their quarterback of the future would be, and when your top two quarterbacks

Sept. 30, 2012; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kevin Kolb (4) against the Miami Dolphins at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

(Kolb, Skelton) are playing poorly, sometimes it’s best to just take a chance.

Well, that chance turned out to be rookie Ryan Lindley, and he didn’t really prove to be the answer either. Lindley played six games for the Cardinals this past season and threw zero touchdowns on seven interceptions.

So, with all the terror at the quarterback position, the Cardinals should definitely give Smith a call. He would be an instant improvement, and would love to compete in the same division against the team that replaced him, the San Francisco 49ers.

Somebody who would really love Smith on the Cardinals is Larry Fitzgerald. With father time working against him, Fitzgerald is desperate to play with a quarterback who can get him the ball often and efficiently.

Hey, Alex Smith is no Kurt Warner, but he would be a huge upgrade compared to what they have now.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

 The Kansas City Chiefs finished the 2012 season with the worst record in the NFL. Their 2-14 record was dreadful for a lot of different reasons, but when you don’t have a solid starting quarterback, that’s always a recipe for disaster.

It’s really simple, actually. Matt Cassel and Brady Quinn just aren’t the answers. Cassel has had his share of injuries and has spent extensive time off the field, while Quinn is still looking to prove himself as a starting quarterback.

Well, the Chiefs should dump Cassel and speak to Smith’s agent. Smith would work well with star wideout Dwayne Bowe and elite running back Jamaal Charles. Cassel will likely find a backup job somewhere in the league, and Quinn would be right behind Smith, learning more and more about the game every step of the way.

What are the San Francisco 49ers looking for?

The 49ers have a couple of options in this particular situation. First, they can cut Alex Smith, thus making him a free agent, or they can trade him.

I definitely think that the 49ers should trade him, and shop around the market to see what they can get for him. The 49ers are reportedly very interested in Jets’ cornerback Darrelle Revis, who missed most of this past season after tearing his ACL in September.

July 29, 2012; Cortland, NY, USA; New York Jets defensive back Darrelle Revis (24) walks out to the practice field prior to the start of training camp at SUNY Cortland. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Should the 49ers swap Smith for Revis? The deal makes sense for both sides, as the Jets would finally solve their quarterback issues in getting a veteran like Smith, and for San Francisco, they should welcome Revis in with open arms.   Current 49ers cornerbacks Carlos Rogers and Tarell Brown are good defensive players, but they are not on the same level as Revis. He’s getting a bit old and is coming fresh off one of the worst sports injuries that a player can endure, but Revis is a special guy. He is by all means one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL and is more than capable of bouncing back from his horrific injury. Look at what Adrian Peterson did after his torn ACL. Not too bad huh?

The 49ers can also go another route and pursue some young talent in the form of draft picks. Going this route would also be a great option for San Francisco, but I just don’t see it happening. The Jets, Cardinals, and Chiefs all had horrific seasons in 2012 and if there is one thing that they are looking forward to, it’s the NFL draft. I just don’t see these teams giving up their potential young talent that they so desperately need.

If the 49ers really don’t want to make a move for Revis or some fresh draft picks, they probably will be just fine with their roster. They just made it to the Super Bowl and came so close to winning it all.

But at the end of the day, I believe that the opportunity to ship away Alex Smith for some talent will help put the 49ers over the edge and put them in the best situation to bring home the Lombardi next year.

Alex Smith isn’t elite, he isn’t perfect, but he is a damn good quarterback. He clearly doesn’t want to remain in San Francisco, and any of these three teams would be more than happy to have him as their starting quarterback. I believe that the 49ers will trade him and get some good talent in return.