Daily Madden: A Lost Season for the 49ers?
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) - The 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke has continued to say he'd like quarterback Alex Smith to stay on the team.
John Madden told the KCBS morning crew he's not surprised by Baalke's comments.
"What are their alternatives? There's a lockout, there's no free agency. Alex Smith has been there... It's not like there are a lot of choices for the 49ers at quarterback," said Madden.
Madden said the Niners and their new coach are in a difficult position.
"You have a lockout, you can't work with your players. They're really going to be behind," said Madden. "If this thing goes into the regular season, I think the teams that have new coaches, it's going to be a lost year for them. I put the 49ers in that category."
Madden said having a quarterback that knows the system and personnel would at least give them an edge over starting from scratch.
Meanwhile the just-released NFL schedule has the Green Bay Packers playing on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day. Madden said that's part of the price of being the Super Bowl champion, since holiday games are considered premier games.
"If you are not a good team, you will play mostly 1 p.m. games," said Madden. "One way or another you aren't going to have (every holiday)"
In baseball, there are reports that the league and players have agreed to increase the pensions for older retired players. Will that happen in the NFL? Madden said he hoped so, and that this is the time to do it while the league and players are bickering over a new contract. (7:20)
