“The strongest of all warriors are these two – Time and Patience.” – Leo Tolstoy, War and Peace

Alex Smith certainly has spent a good amount of time wearing a San Francisco 49ers’ uniform while fans haven’t always found the patience to tolerate Smith’s mediocrity. In Smith’s case, it was the lack of patience and abundance of time that became his enemies and fought against him. Perhaps to the chagrin of some 49ers’ fans the team was unable to strike a deal with future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning. All the while, scorned quarterback Alex Smith was off meeting with the Miami Dolphins.

In the end, however, things fell into place as they were destined and Manning is now a member of the Denver Broncos and Smith is once again a 49er – this time with a three-year contract in place.

His return in 2012 should be a very special one indeed. After a 2011 season where Smith led the 49ers to an appearance in the NFC Championship Game and put up the best numbers of his seven-year NFL career he can only get better, in my opinion. Why is that, you ask? There are several reasons, but these seem to be the ones that best explain Smith’s projected development:

Playing in the same system for the second straight year. In 2012, Alex Smith will enjoy the comforts of running the exact same offense, with the exact same coaches and coordinators for consecutive years for the first time in his NFL career. The only difference in 2012 will be the upgraded pieces the 49ers have surrounded Smith with. With the ability to work out of the same offensive scheme as the previous year, the focus can be drawn away from learning the plays and geared more towards Smith’s development. Smith didn’t have a perfect 2011, but his offseason work and stability should prove to be the building block for an even better 2012.

Upgrading of key offensive positions. The 49ers have their top-ranked defense back in full force, so the only logical thing to do in the draft and free agency was to upgrade the offense. Among those upgrades include an improved wide receiving corps with acquisitions A.J. Jenkins, Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, and Chris Owusu. Not to mention that the 49ers picked up LaMichael James, Jewel Hampton, and Brandon Jacobs to bolster the running back position. With a much more versatile offense, Alex Smith will have more options than he did in 2011 – and he still has Frank Gore, Michael Crabtree, Vernon Davis, and Delanie Walker.

Working out with Tom House. It was reported on May 13 that back in March, for one week, Alex Smith worked out with former MLB pitcher Tom House. While his crossover to coaching a football player may seem lost in translation, Tom Brady, Matt Cassel, and Carson Palmer were all there with Smith, working with House. Perhaps the fact that Tom Brady was there says enough about his credibility, but what would House really know about throwing a football? When he was coaching baseball, House used to have his pitchers throw with footballs because it’s the same neural pathway as throwing a baseball and it could help improve their throwing motion. (Apparently it’s all about getting your body behind the ball for the most efficient throw – regardless of sport.)

According to Jim Harbaugh, Smith has already made dramatic improvement in his throwing motion – something that had been affected by his shoulder surgery in 2008 and has hindered his ability ever since. But now, Smith has the opportunity to build on his 2011 performance and once again have the best year of his career.

Which of the three reasons make you feel the most confident in Alex Smith in 2012: the same offensive scheme, the new talent around him, or the workout with Tom House? Is there something else that has you feeling confident in Alex Smith or do you not have confidence in him to lead the 49ers?

David is co-founder of wrapupp sports blog where fresh content is posted daily and present sports blogs and sports opinions – all with a West Coast bias. Growing up in the Bay Area, David is a huge supporter of all the local sports teams; the Giants, Athletics, Warriors, Sharks, 49ers, and Raiders. His one fault, admittedly, as many of his friends and family would say, is his love for the Los Angeles Lakers. Growing up, Magic Johnson was his favorite basketball player and he fell in love with the team. He chalks it up to, “Not knowing any better”. Now his love for sports has turned just as academic as it is intuitive and he follows most all sports all over the nation.

You can follow David on Twitter: @officialwrapupp

Sources:

NFL.com. Baseball man helps Alex Smith rediscover groove. NFL 2012

More from David Mehrwein and the Yahoo! Contributor Network:

San Francisco 49ers’ Undrafted Free Agent Chris Owusu Ready to Prove Doubters Wrong: Fan Breakdown

Will San Francisco 49ers’ Randy Moss Help Guide Michael Crabtree in the Right Direction? Fan Question

Los Angeles Lakers’ Metta World Peace Ready to Face Oklahoma City Thunder: Fan Preview

Is Andrew Bynum a Cancer to the Los Angeles Lakers? Quote Roundup

Andrew Bynum Lacks Intensity as Los Angeles Lakers Fall to Denver Nuggets: Fan Reaction

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith had the best completion percentage (61.3) of his career in 2011, but the six-year veteran is nevertheless focusing on improving his accuracy and throwing mechanics this offseason.

During a chat with fans posted on the 49ers’ official team website, via Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Smith revealed that he recently spent time working on his throwing motion independently.

“I saw a mechanics guru, or specialist down in L.A.,” Smith wrote. “I went there to kind of clean some things up with my motion. I’m really focused on getting my fundamentals better. Really didn’t have time last offseason to do it.”

Citing a source close to the quarterback, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area reported that the 49ers are hoping Smith can become even more accurate by fixing two key issues with his throwing motion, and that doing so will be a focal point of his offseason preparations.

According to the site, one issue is that Smith doesn’t flex his left knee enough during his stride, and the second is that Smith isn’t balanced enough when dropping back to throw.

Smith, taken first overall by the 49ers in the 2005 NFL Draft, made the 2011 season his best in the NFL by completing 273 of 445 passes for 3,144 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was also picked off just five times while leading San Francisco to a 13-3 record and, eventually, to the NFC Championship Game.

For the first time in nearly a decade, the San Francisco 49ers have a division title to defend.

The expectations that come along with the title defense are welcome, however, as this very talented team enters the 2012 NFL season as the clear favorite to win the NFC West. The 49ers were major players in free agency and had a busy offseason. Veteran skill players Randy Moss, Mario Manningham, and Brandon Jacobs should help take some pressure off the core on offense. The biggest question that remains this offseason is what the team will do in the draft. With that in mind, here are five positions the 49ers will not need to worry about at the 2012 NFL Draft.

Quarterback

After a tumultuous start to his career, Alex Smith made serious strides in the right direction in the 2011 season. He led the team to an incredible victory over the New Orleans Saints and showed the poise and confidence that made him a coveted No. 1 overall pick in 2005. Though he struggled in the NFC Championship game against the New York Giants, his solid play during that 13-3 finish is one of the reasons his team found itself only one game away from the Super Bowl. Colin Kaepernick was drafted in the second round of the 2011 draft, so the 49ers have to feel comfortable where they are at in terms of signal-callers.

Running Back

As if Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, and Anthony Dixon didn’t provide enough depth for the 49ers at running back, the team also went out and signed Jacobs, formerly of the New York Giants. He adds depth to an already deep corps of backs, and should also help Gore stay healthy throughout the year. There is clearly no need for another back unless an absolute stud falls to their position in a later round come draft day.

Wide Receiver

It’s been quite some time since the team felt like it was satisfied with its wide receivers. Randy Moss is an experiment at this point, but with a solid veteran in Mario Manningham to line up opposite Michael Crabtree should Moss fail to produce, the team has to feel good about its wideouts. If Moss is anything close to what he once was, the team will have a legitimate set of receivers for the first time since No. 80 wore the red & gold. Crabtree is an ideal No. 2, possession-type receiver and would thrive with a legitimate deep threat on the other side. In any case, the 49ers do not have any draft needs at this position.

Tight End

Vernon Davis is not only a great offensive tight end, but he does the little things — blocking, receiving, and route-running — with the best of any skill player. Add his incredible speed, and there’s just no question that tight end should be the last thing on the minds of 49ers front office as they enter the draft. Delanie Walker is a solid backup, so the 49ers should stay away from this position until they fulfill other needs.

Linebacker

The 49ers have the best inside linebacker tandem in the league in Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman. Outside linebacker Aldon Smith made a serious case to become the NFL’s Defensive Rookie of the Year for 2011. With 14.0 sacks, 31 tackles, and one fumble recovery, this beast of a player is the main reason the team will not need an outside linebacker anytime soon. Ahmad Brooks is the other starter opposite Smith, and Tavares Gooden was just signed as a free agent in the offseason — plenty of depth here.

The draft needs of the San Francisco 49ers are much less apparent in 2012. The caveat is that if any exceptional player in one of these positions happens to fall to the team, they should jump at the chance to grab him. However, it’s a nice luxury to have so many key spots taken care of before the draft arrives on April 26-28, 2012.

Michael C. Jones is a Yahoo! Featured Contributor in Sports, California native, and die-hard fan of the San Francisco 49ers. Follow Michael on Twitter:@MikeJonestweets.

The San Francisco 49ers kicked off the free-agency period with the signing of four-time All-Pro receiver Randy Moss. Moss, who did not play last season, had arguably the worst season of his career in 2010. Playing for the New England Patriots, Minnesota Vikings and Tennessee Titans, Moss totaled 28 receptions for 393 yards and five touchdowns. With a year off to recover and refocus, he’ll look to get a fresh start with Jim Harbaugh and the Niners. Signed to only a one-year, $2.5 million deal, Moss gives the team a big-play target who presents low-risk and high reward.

Apparently adding Moss was not enough, as the Niners signed former New York Giants receiver Mario Manningham to a two-year deal on March 18. Manningham may have been the Giants’ No. 3 receiver, but he played a key role in helping them win their second championship in four years. Although he had a subpar regular season, his play improved during the playoffs. In both the NFC Championship game and the Super Bowl, Manningham demonstrated that he is capable of making clutch plays- which is exactly what the Niners need in converting third downs (ranked 31st overall).

By adding Moss and Manningham to the roster, the offense can now stretch the field effectively. Their speed brings another dimension to the offense that it did not have last season. With Vernon Davis and Delanie Walker running short and intermediate routes, opposing defenses must cover all parts of the field.

Now that Peyton Manning has officially joined the Denver Broncos, the Niners will turn back to Alex Smith. With Smith returning, he will have more receiving options to choose from compared to last year. Last season, Smith threw for a career-high 3,144 passing yards while recording his best quarterback rating (90.7) in his first year under Harbaugh. He has shown steady improvement, and with Moss and Manningham at his disposal, Smith could be even better next season. Couple the signings with a full offseason to understand the offensive system, the sky’s the limit for him.

On defense, bringing back Carlos Rogers and Ahmad Brooks was crucial. Rogers had the best season of his career last year, as he was tied for a team-high six interceptions while making his first Pro-Bowl and All-Pro team. Brooks solidifies the pass rush long-term playing opposite of Aldon Smith. One of the potential concerns that the Niners face is the possible loss of Larry Grant, who received an original-round tender from the team. Last season, he showed that he was a starting-caliber linebacker when he filled in for Patrick Willis, who missed four games in December. With these signings in place, the Niners should once again be a top-10 defense in 2012.

Overall, San Francisco has done a solid job of addressing their needs. If the players live up to expectations and work together, there’s no reason why the Niners can’t make another deep run in the playoffs.

Sources:

bayarea.sbnation.com

foxsports.com

nfl.com

Carlos Rogers Profile- pro-football-reference.com

Randy Moss Profile- pro-football-reference.com

washingtonpost.com

Travis Chan is a longtime fan of the San Francisco 49ers, Giants and Golden State Warriors. He is also a contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. You can follow him on Twitter @Travischan1.

MIAMI (AP) — San Francisco 49ers free agent quarterback Alex Smith is meeting with the Miami Dolphins, which could affect the Peyton Manning sweepstakes.

The 49ers are among three finalists for Manning, along with the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans.

A person familiar with the negotiations confirmed to The Associated Press that Smith was meeting with the Dolphins. The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team has not publicly discussed Sunday’s meeting.

The 49ers had been working to re-sign Smith, the No. 1 overall 2005 draft pick who enjoyed his best season in 2011 under first-year 49ers coach Harbaugh, a former NFL quarterback. Smith and Manning have the same agent, Tom Condon.

The Dolphins‘ unexpected courtship of Smith came after they were spurned by Manning and then hosted former Green Bay Packers backup quarterback Matt Flynn for a weekend Saturday.

It was unclear whether the Dolphins expanded their quarterback search in a bid to pressure Flynn to sign soon. He visited the Seattle Seahawks earlier in the week.

Flynn left South Florida on Sunday morning, but a deal with the Dolphins remained a possibility, said his father, Alvin.

A second person told the AP the Dolphins were to host quarterback David Garrard on Monday.

Garrard, a starter for Jacksonville from 2005 to 2010, didn’t play last year. He was released five days before last year’s opener by the Jaguars, then underwent back surgery in October.

But it was Smith’s turn on Sunday

He landed at the Fort Lauderdale airport Sunday morning and arrived at the Dolphins complex at 11 a.m. EDT in a car driven by trainer Kevin O’Neill. New coach Joe Philbin, new offensive coordinator Mike Sherman and general manager Jeff Ireland arrived earlier.

Smith struggled early in his career but threw for 3,150 yards and 17 touchdowns with only five interceptions last season as San Francisco went 13-3 and made the NFC title game after an eight-year playoff drought. He orchestrated six comeback wins, four on the road.

Smith has been weighing a three-year offer from the 49ers. If he instead joins the Dolphins, he would be reunited with running back Reggie Bush. They were teammates at Helix Charter High School in La Mesa, Calif.

All were also on hand for Flynn’s 5 1/2-hour meeting Saturday.

Flynn was a backup the past four years for Green Bay, where his offensive coordinator was Joe Philbin, the Dolphins’ new head coach. Flynn has only two career NFL starts, but in last year’s regular-season finale he set franchise records with 480 yards passing and six touchdowns to help the Packers beat Detroit 45-41.

The Dolphins have started 16 quarterbacks since Dan Marino retired and are looking to make another change. While incumbent Matt Moore played well last year, there are doubts he’s a franchise quarterback. Chad Henne, who started 31 games for Miami over the past three seasons, signed Wednesday with the Jacksonville Jaguars as a backup.

The 49ers emerged as a contender for Manning when the news surfaced that he worked out Tuesday for Harbaugh at Duke. The four-time NFL MVP also worked out for the Broncos on Friday at Duke, and for the Titans on Saturday in Knoxville, Tenn.

Manning has been rehabbing in North Carolina following a string of neck surgeries, which led Indianapolis to release him.

San Francisco running back Frank Gore, who works out each offseason in Miami, said Sunday he hadn’t spoken to Smith. Gore has long supported Smith through the quarterback’s up-and-down seven NFL seasons.

Now, Gore and the 49ers are sitting tight to see what happens next.

“It’s crazy,” Gore said. “I’m waiting for whatever happens. I know coach Harbaugh and (general manager) Trent Baalke feel good about what they’re doing.”

Manning’s whirlwind free agency tour officially kicked off soon after he bid farewell to the Colts in an emotional press conference.

___

AP Sports Writers Teresa M. Walker in Nashville, Tenn., Joedy McCreary in Durham, N.C., Pat Graham in Denver and Janie McCauley in San Francisco contributed to this report.

The quarterback situation for the San Francisco 49ers has generated some of the biggest news of the free agency period. From the 49ers claiming that they are not interested in signing Peyton Manning (as I discussed here) to the team now being one of three franchises in the running for the four-time MVP’s services (as I discussed here), the latest development could potentially lead the team down a very dangerous road.

After over a week of discussions, the 49ers have yet to sign incumbent Alex Smith to a contract. While a three-year offer has been in the works, talks have been stalled due to the team’s interest in Manning. Understandably, Smith has decided to take ownership of the situation by taking a red-eye flight on Saturday night to Miami to visit with the Miami Dolphins, as first reported by a Seattle Seahawks blogger on the same flight as the quarterback.

While a majority of 49er fans are either in complete favor or cautious denial of Manning’s possible migration to the West Coast, what would happen if the team misses out on the former Indianapolis Colts quarterback and Smith, who is now considering a move to the Dolphins. At first, Smith seemed to be a lock to return as the 49ers quarterback for 2012 and beyond.

Now, if this situation does not work out the right way, the 49ers could potentially be staring at Colin Kaepernick as the team’s new starting quarterback. This is something that would make backers of Manning and Smith very upset.

Even if San Francisco is the best fit for Manning in terms of personnel and his ability to win another Super Bowl, his other two likely destinations offer plenty of appeal as well. If he went to the Denver Broncos, Manning would ultimately end Tim Tebow’s reign with the team and give the team its best quarterback since the great John Elway. If he went to the Tennessee Titans, Manning would return to where it all started for him as a college quarterback with the Tennessee Volunteers and would possibly receive a lifetime contract from owner Bud Adams.

As for Smith, he has already considered changing agents because of a conflict of interests. Both he and Manning share agent Tom Condon and a change of agents would possibly expedite the process of him signing with a team. Also, a return to the Dolphins would set up a reunion of sorts with former high school teammate Reggie Bush.

Ultimately, the last thing the team needs is to start all over at a quarterback position that finally seemed to stabilize with the career year by Smith. While the saga has been intriguing to say the least, matters could blow up in the team’s face and leave the team looking at a mediocre season instead of a possible run at the Super Bowl.

Sources:

AP Source: Alex Smith visits with Dolphins Sunday, AP

The Alex Smith to Miami Story: Seahawks Blogger Breaks News, Niners Nation

Tennessee Titans work out Peyton Manning in Knoxville, ESPN

More from this contributor:

San Francisco 49ers in Running for Peyton Manning, Third Team in Race: Fan’s Reaction

Randy Moss Signing with the San Francisco 49ers is Great, but More Moves at Wide Receiver Needed: Fan’s Reaction

San Francisco 49ers not interested in Peyton Manning, have ‘offer on the table’ to Alex Smith: Fan’s Take

2011 Defensive Player of the Year Award Doesn’t Go to a San Francisco 49ers Player: Fan’s Reaction

San Francisco 49ers’ Jim Harbaugh Wins AP Coach of the Year: Fan’s Reaction

Austin Chang is a lifelong football fan, San Francisco 49ers supporter, and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow this contributor on Twitter @_austinchang.