Green Bay — Former Packer general manager Ron Wolf used to have a simple motto.
"There's one thing about this league that's pretty simple," Wolf said. "If you don't have a quarterback, you don't have much of a chance."
Back in April 2005, San Francisco 49ers general manager Scott McCloughan and head coach Mike Nolan understood this full well.
The 49ers had the No. 1-overall pick in the NFL draft, and for weeks were torn between quarterbacks Alex Smith of Utah and Aaron Rodgers of California, as well as Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards.
In the end, the 49ers thought Rodgers was too cocky and settled for too many checkdowns in a programmed offense at Cal. They felt Edwards was too scary in the attitude department.
So San Francisco chose Smith.
Twenty-three picks later, with Rodgers stunningly still on the board, Packer general manager Ted Thompson made the overlooked quarterback his first-ever pick. In just those few short hours, the future of both franchises was shaped - even though no one knew it at the time.
Smith has been given every opportunity to win the starting job in San Francisco but has failed miserably. The 49ers are still looking for a starting quarterback, Smith comes off the bench now, and he's likely to be in a different uniform or out of the league in 2011.
Rodgers, meanwhile, stands a good chance to reach his second Pro Bowl this season. He's playing at an elite level, and despite not having a running game, has the Packers in playoff contention.
With the Packers set to host the 49ers on Sunday, it seemed a good time to ponder where these organizations would be if the two quarterbacks had been switched five years ago.
"It's tough to say because Smith had to play right away," one NFC scout said Monday. "And I certainly don't think that Rodgers was ready to help (the 49ers) back in '05.
"But if both players would have progressed like they have, it's very fair to say San Francisco would be an elite team with Rodgers, and the Packers would be struggling with Alex (Smith). Aside from the quarterback position, there's not substantially more talent right now in Green Bay than in San Francisco."
Smith was thrown into the fire from Day 1 and in 2005 was asked to lead a dreadful offense that was coordinated by current Packer head coach Mike McCarthy.
In his rookie season, Smith threw one touchdown pass, 11 interceptions and had a miserable passer rating of 40.8.
Smith improved gradually over the next two years, suffered a broken bone in his right (passing) shoulder in 2008 and then had somewhat of a breakout season in 2009 with 18 touchdowns and 12 picks.
The 49ers committed to Smith this season and were the pick to win the NFC West for the first time since 2002, which was the last time San Francisco reached the postseason.
But Smith struggled immensely and feuded with head coach Mike Singletary as the 49ers started 1-6.
Smith suffered a shoulder injury in Week 7 and has since been passed by undersized Troy Smith. Not surprisingly, the 49ers remain one of the NFL's most disappointing teams and a housecleaning is likely forthcoming.
"That's a mess out there," the scout said. "And it all starts because they don't have a quarterback."
Green Bay doesn't have that problem thanks to Rodgers. Call it dumb luck if you will, but the Packers were certainly fortuitous that Rodgers fell in their lap five years ago.
When the 49ers decided on Alex Smith that April morning, it sent Rodgers into a free fall. Only Cleveland, Tennessee and Arizona were teams with top 10 picks that had a possible need at quarterback, and when they went in different directions, Rodgers kept spiraling.
And even though Green Bay had more pressing needs on the defensive side of the ball, Rodgers was far and away the highest remaining player on Thompson's board.
"Did we think he was going to be there when we were watching tape? No," Thompson said that day. "But over the course of the last week or so there was a couple of, I don't know, websites that said maybe he might get there.
"So, I went back and did a little more work just to make sure. But I feel very comfortable that this kid warranted being picked where we were at."
Rodgers certainly benefited from sitting behind future Hall of Famer Brett Favre for three years. As Rodgers showed his first two summers in Green Bay, he wasn't close to being ready to play.
Rodgers also has learned from terrific teachers in McCarthy, quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. And the arrogance that Rodgers arrived with has been reduced dramatically - at least publicly.
"I think it's about opportunity, and it's about performance and production, and he's answered the bell," McCarthy said of Rodgers.
Rodgers is 24-20 as a starter and has never won a playoff game. But the way he's progressed, that's likely to come soon.
Rodgers was the first quarterback in league history to eclipse more than 4,000 passing yards in each of his first two years as a starter. His 103.2 passer rating last season was the second best in team history.
And Rodgers' career passer rating of 97.28 is currently the second-best in NFL history, trailing only San Diego's Philip Rivers (97.34).
Smith has certainly endured more turnover than Rodgers, playing for a different offensive coordinator every year he's been in San Francisco. But by Year 6, Smith should have made far more gains than he has.
Instead, Smith is 17-30 as a starter and has thrown more career interceptions (52) than touchdowns (46). Smith has a paltry 75.0 passer rating and has never had a winning record in any of his six seasons.
"There's one thing about this league that's pretty simple," Wolf said. "If you don't have a quarterback, you don't have much of a chance."
Back in April 2005, San Francisco 49ers general manager Scott McCloughan and head coach Mike Nolan understood this full well.
The 49ers had the No. 1-overall pick in the NFL draft, and for weeks were torn between quarterbacks Alex Smith of Utah and Aaron Rodgers of California, as well as Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards.
In the end, the 49ers thought Rodgers was too cocky and settled for too many checkdowns in a programmed offense at Cal. They felt Edwards was too scary in the attitude department.
So San Francisco chose Smith.
Twenty-three picks later, with Rodgers stunningly still on the board, Packer general manager Ted Thompson made the overlooked quarterback his first-ever pick. In just those few short hours, the future of both franchises was shaped - even though no one knew it at the time.
Smith has been given every opportunity to win the starting job in San Francisco but has failed miserably. The 49ers are still looking for a starting quarterback, Smith comes off the bench now, and he's likely to be in a different uniform or out of the league in 2011.
Rodgers, meanwhile, stands a good chance to reach his second Pro Bowl this season. He's playing at an elite level, and despite not having a running game, has the Packers in playoff contention.
With the Packers set to host the 49ers on Sunday, it seemed a good time to ponder where these organizations would be if the two quarterbacks had been switched five years ago.
"It's tough to say because Smith had to play right away," one NFC scout said Monday. "And I certainly don't think that Rodgers was ready to help (the 49ers) back in '05.
"But if both players would have progressed like they have, it's very fair to say San Francisco would be an elite team with Rodgers, and the Packers would be struggling with Alex (Smith). Aside from the quarterback position, there's not substantially more talent right now in Green Bay than in San Francisco."
Smith was thrown into the fire from Day 1 and in 2005 was asked to lead a dreadful offense that was coordinated by current Packer head coach Mike McCarthy.
In his rookie season, Smith threw one touchdown pass, 11 interceptions and had a miserable passer rating of 40.8.
Smith improved gradually over the next two years, suffered a broken bone in his right (passing) shoulder in 2008 and then had somewhat of a breakout season in 2009 with 18 touchdowns and 12 picks.
The 49ers committed to Smith this season and were the pick to win the NFC West for the first time since 2002, which was the last time San Francisco reached the postseason.
But Smith struggled immensely and feuded with head coach Mike Singletary as the 49ers started 1-6.
Smith suffered a shoulder injury in Week 7 and has since been passed by undersized Troy Smith. Not surprisingly, the 49ers remain one of the NFL's most disappointing teams and a housecleaning is likely forthcoming.
"That's a mess out there," the scout said. "And it all starts because they don't have a quarterback."
Green Bay doesn't have that problem thanks to Rodgers. Call it dumb luck if you will, but the Packers were certainly fortuitous that Rodgers fell in their lap five years ago.
When the 49ers decided on Alex Smith that April morning, it sent Rodgers into a free fall. Only Cleveland, Tennessee and Arizona were teams with top 10 picks that had a possible need at quarterback, and when they went in different directions, Rodgers kept spiraling.
And even though Green Bay had more pressing needs on the defensive side of the ball, Rodgers was far and away the highest remaining player on Thompson's board.
"Did we think he was going to be there when we were watching tape? No," Thompson said that day. "But over the course of the last week or so there was a couple of, I don't know, websites that said maybe he might get there.
"So, I went back and did a little more work just to make sure. But I feel very comfortable that this kid warranted being picked where we were at."
Rodgers certainly benefited from sitting behind future Hall of Famer Brett Favre for three years. As Rodgers showed his first two summers in Green Bay, he wasn't close to being ready to play.
Rodgers also has learned from terrific teachers in McCarthy, quarterbacks coach Tom Clements and offensive coordinator Joe Philbin. And the arrogance that Rodgers arrived with has been reduced dramatically - at least publicly.
"I think it's about opportunity, and it's about performance and production, and he's answered the bell," McCarthy said of Rodgers.
Rodgers is 24-20 as a starter and has never won a playoff game. But the way he's progressed, that's likely to come soon.
Rodgers was the first quarterback in league history to eclipse more than 4,000 passing yards in each of his first two years as a starter. His 103.2 passer rating last season was the second best in team history.
And Rodgers' career passer rating of 97.28 is currently the second-best in NFL history, trailing only San Diego's Philip Rivers (97.34).
Smith has certainly endured more turnover than Rodgers, playing for a different offensive coordinator every year he's been in San Francisco. But by Year 6, Smith should have made far more gains than he has.
Instead, Smith is 17-30 as a starter and has thrown more career interceptions (52) than touchdowns (46). Smith has a paltry 75.0 passer rating and has never had a winning record in any of his six seasons.
as much I like Alex Smith I am glad we have Rodgers, Hope Smith stays in San Fran 
